CATL Begins Trial Battery Cell Production at €7.3 Billion Debrecen Plant

Trial production of battery cells has begun at a €7.3 billion (US$8.35 billion) facility in Debrecen, Hungary, operated by Chinese EV battery manufacturer CATL. The company confirmed that cell manufacturing started on Tuesday after all preconditions for a trial run were satisfied. Full mass production will only commence once production equipment and manufacturing processes have been optimised and validated, according to the company. An analyst noted that the development could position CATL to secure massive orders from global car marques including BMW and Volkswagen. Debrecen is Hungary's second-largest city. The plant represents a significant Chinese industrial investment in Europe's emerging electric vehicle supply chain.