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than Giga","bigger-than-giga","article/bigger-than-giga",{"_uid":557,"date":558,"tags":559,"editor":560,"content":570,"excerpt":1112,"featured":50,"reporter":1113,"_editable":1117,"component":1118,"seo_title":553,"categories":1119,"visibility":1129,"author_company":49,"featured_image":1130,"seo_description":1112,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":1135,"formattedArticleDate":1136},"f3aa812f-c865-49bb-aec8-bea173a67651","2017-06-14 00:00",[],[561],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":564},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":565,"image":566,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":567},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/14738033ec/matthew-bird.jpeg","Matthew writes, edits and produces content for Benchmark Intelligence and Benchmark Source across the whole mine to grid supply chain. He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":571,"content":572},"doc",[573,580,585,590,595,600,605,608,613,618,625,630,635,640,645,650,655,658,663,668,673,678,683,688,693,698,703,708,713,718,721,726,731,736,741,746,751,756,761,766,771,776,781,784,789,794,799,804,809,814,817,822,827,832,837,842,845,850,855,860,865,870,875,880,885,888,893,898,903,908,913,918,921,926,931,936,941,946,951,956,961,966,971,976,981,986,991,996,1001,1006,1011,1014,1019,1024,1029,1034,1039,1044,1049,1054,1059,1064,1069,1074,1079,1084,1087,1092,1097,1102,1107],{"type":574,"attrs":575,"content":576},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[577],{"text":578,"type":579},"Tesla’s search for new Gigafactory battery plant locations begins","text",{"type":574,"attrs":581,"content":582},{"textAlign":49},[583],{"text":584,"type":579},"While the Tesla Gigafactory is not yet close to its designed capacity, Elon Musk is already planning his second, third and fourth lithium ion battery plants. Simon Moores & Caspar Rawles look at potential locations for a new generation of battery megafactories.",{"type":574,"attrs":586,"content":587},{"textAlign":49},[588],{"text":589,"type":579},"Tesla’s financial results released in Q1 not only outlined a strong 2016 for the clean energy crusader but also hinted at significant future infrastructure expansions putting further strain on already stretched raw material markets. In short, CEO, Elon Musk is not only planning one new Gigafactory – a lithium ion battery megafactory 35GWh in capacity – but three.",{"type":574,"attrs":591,"content":592},{"textAlign":49},[593],{"text":594,"type":579},"The markets should now be used to Elon Musk’s bold forecasts, but even for him this was some declaration. “Later this year, we expect to finalise locations for Gigafactories 3, 4 and possibly 5. Gigafactory 2 is the Tesla solar plant in New York,” Musk explained.",{"type":574,"attrs":596,"content":597},{"textAlign":49},[598],{"text":599,"type":579},"In January, production of Tesla’s new 2170 cell – which will be used as the basis for its new mass market Model 3 EV – started at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada and despite the plant not yet being fully completed, Tesla is already looking to secure the locations for future plants by the end of 2017.",{"type":574,"attrs":601,"content":602},{"textAlign":49},[603],{"text":604,"type":579},"A potential for three additional Gigafactories for what Benchmark Mineral Intelligence believes would be for post-2020 would have an even bigger impact for the raw materials markets that will fuel these plants.",{"type":574,"attrs":606,"content":607},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":609,"content":610},{"textAlign":49},[611],{"text":612,"type":579},"The Gigafactory 1 is expected to require over 5,000 tonnes of cobalt, 28,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide and 42,000 tonnes of graphite anode material every year at a 35GWh capacity of new cell production.",{"type":574,"attrs":614,"content":615},{"textAlign":49},[616],{"text":617,"type":579},"Three new Gigafactories, alongside an additional 15 megafactories that Benchmark is tracking globally, is create a new blueprint for the global wave of auto electronification. Here, Benchmark looks at potential locations for Tesla’s future Gigafactories.",{"type":619,"attrs":620,"content":622},"heading",{"level":621,"textAlign":49},3,[623],{"text":624,"type":579},"North America",{"type":574,"attrs":626,"content":627},{"textAlign":49},[628],{"text":629,"type":579},"Alabama was originally touted as being in the running for the original Tesla Gigafactory, before it was reduced to a final four, and was one of the strongest states in terms of political support.",{"type":574,"attrs":631,"content":632},{"textAlign":49},[633],{"text":634,"type":579},"Here Ty Dinwoodie, Executive Vice President of Alabama Graphite explains to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence the state’s position in bidding for the next battery megafactory: “The State of Alabama represents ground-zero for the traditional energy markets and the now (completely) antiquated thinking that coal equals American energy.",{"type":574,"attrs":636,"content":637},{"textAlign":49},[638],{"text":639,"type":579},"Championed by former US Senator and now US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Alabama was one of President Trump’s biggest supporters, but it is also one of the most economically depressed states in the nation.",{"type":574,"attrs":641,"content":642},{"textAlign":49},[643],{"text":644,"type":579},"Although the state has done a outstanding job in recent years of attracting major aerospace, automotive and advanced materials manufacturers to establish plants in the state, one could easily argue that the state represents an outstanding opportunity for Tesla Motors to demonstrate that American ‘green’ energy equates to American job growth (and a new, but major business/industry with significant long-term growth potential) — right in the heart of Trump country.",{"type":574,"attrs":646,"content":647},{"textAlign":49},[648],{"text":649,"type":579},"Alabama is already becoming a major US vehicle manufacturing hub with Mercedes- Benz, Honda, Toyota and Hyundai having assembly plants in the ‘Heart of Dixie’.",{"type":574,"attrs":651,"content":652},{"textAlign":49},[653],{"text":654,"type":579},"In 2016, for the second straight year, these Alabama automakers produced more than one million cars and light trucks, and set a record annual production tally. Toyota, Honda and Hyundai also produced nearly 1.7 million engines in 2016, another sign of the sector’s strength in the state.",{"type":574,"attrs":656,"content":657},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":659,"content":660},{"textAlign":49},[661],{"text":662,"type":579},"The output of Alabama’s auto industry is a powerful driver of economic growth for the state. Vehicles have become Alabama’s number-one export, with shipments to more than 85 nations around the world every year.",{"type":574,"attrs":664,"content":665},{"textAlign":49},[666],{"text":667,"type":579},"In 2016, exports of Alabama-made vehicles and parts topped a record $9 billion, led by shipments to China, Germany, and Canada.",{"type":574,"attrs":669,"content":670},{"textAlign":49},[671],{"text":672,"type":579},"If Musk and Tesla selected Alabama for the next Gigafactory, Trump and the southern conservative republicans would have to concede that the green-energy industry can indeed create meaningful, long-term American manufacturing (and mining) jobs.",{"type":574,"attrs":674,"content":675},{"textAlign":49},[676],{"text":677,"type":579},"Given Alabama’s status as a poor state, it is in a strong position to provide significant economic/tax incentives to entice Tesla.",{"type":574,"attrs":679,"content":680},{"textAlign":49},[681],{"text":682,"type":579},"The potential economic benefits to the state and its constituents are simply to important. Alabama Power, one of the more progressive, forward-thinking entities in the state and a major generator of electricity (owned by the Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity) has been quite vocal in its desire to create a battery-manufacturing hub within Alabama and was one of the biggest supporters behind the original Tesla Gigafactory being located in Alabama.",{"type":574,"attrs":684,"content":685},{"textAlign":49},[686],{"text":687,"type":579},"Alabama Power has already begun partnering on solar projects and other green energy initiatives. But what may of be interest to Tesla is Alabama’s proximity to domestic raw material supply chain: Alabama Graphite’s Coosa Graphite Project in central Alabama, but the southern Appalachians are also home to lithium, cobalt and other battery materials.",{"type":574,"attrs":689,"content":690},{"textAlign":49},[691],{"text":692,"type":579},"Alabama’s major international shipping port, the Port of Mobile, is one of the largest in the US, and the state has excellent rail/interstate access to the rest of the country.”",{"type":574,"attrs":694,"content":695},{"textAlign":49},[696],{"text":697,"type":579},"Arizona has long been in competition with Texas on many fronts with the battle for Gigafactory 1 being just one of the latest duels. Arizona, the state that is sandwiched between California and New Mexico, has been attempting to lure Silicon Valley’s finest companies to set up offices over the border for many years.",{"type":574,"attrs":699,"content":700},{"textAlign":49},[701],{"text":702,"type":579},"The battle to lure Gigafactory 1 was no different. “We lost Apple to Austin and got them the second time around,” said Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, explained to USA Today at the time the state was talking to Tesla. Arizona is still a strong option for any future Gigafactories, however.",{"type":574,"attrs":704,"content":705},{"textAlign":49},[706],{"text":707,"type":579},"It is described as a “right-to-work” state which favours employers over unions. In short, “right-to-work” laws means employees in unionised workplaces may not be forced to join a union, or compelled to pay for any part of the cost of union representation.",{"type":574,"attrs":709,"content":710},{"textAlign":49},[711],{"text":712,"type":579},"Other states that follow these laws include: Alabama, Nevada, Texas, West Virgina and Kentucky. Arizona also has no corporate income tax and heavily favours incentives models for attracting business, known as among the most aggressive in the US.",{"type":574,"attrs":714,"content":715},{"textAlign":49},[716],{"text":717,"type":579},"In the past, however, Arizona has struggled to compete with its more attractive neighbours of Nevada and Texas. Any successful bid for the next Gigafactory will likely depend on Tesla’s failure to strike a deal with these states.",{"type":574,"attrs":719,"content":720},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":722,"content":723},{"textAlign":49},[724],{"text":725,"type":579},"California has been home to most of Elon Musk’s new business ventures.",{"type":574,"attrs":727,"content":728},{"textAlign":49},[729],{"text":730,"type":579},"Tesla is headquartered just outside of Silicon Valley city, Palo Alto, after purchasing the former HP offices in the mid-2000s. Manufacturing for the company is based about 2 hours drive around the San Francisco bay in a town called Fremont.",{"type":574,"attrs":732,"content":733},{"textAlign":49},[734],{"text":735,"type":579},"While there has been expansions at these facilities since the early days of the Roadster, Tesla has explained that the main new manufacturing capacity is in Nevada. Space X is also located in the Los Angeles suburb, Hawthorne, where they also manufacturer reusable rockets of which the first successful return flight was at the end of March 2017.",{"type":574,"attrs":737,"content":738},{"textAlign":49},[739],{"text":740,"type":579},"The Elon Musk and the California state government are well acquainted and the state is ideally suited to transport to the more affluent west coast of US and Canada and export to the Asia Pacific region. While any immediate Gigafactory in California is unlikely, it cannot be ruled out.",{"type":574,"attrs":742,"content":743},{"textAlign":49},[744],{"text":745,"type":579},"While Nevada is home to the world’s first Gigafactory that is yet to be fully complete, the chances of a second located adjacent to the present construction is still on the cards.",{"type":574,"attrs":747,"content":748},{"textAlign":49},[749],{"text":750,"type":579},"The Gigafactory today looks like a mini-city, with close to 50% of construction completed and an estimated 2,000 employees working there part or full time.",{"type":574,"attrs":752,"content":753},{"textAlign":49},[754],{"text":755,"type":579},"The state has been very supportive to Tesla’s initial megastructure project and could receive $1.3bn in state subsidy over the next 20 years. Employment in the state has suffered since the recession as major revenue streams such as tourism, gambling and mining dried up.",{"type":574,"attrs":757,"content":758},{"textAlign":49},[759],{"text":760,"type":579},"While rates have been improving since 2010, the unemployment numbers are consistently higher than the national average. Initiatives such as the Gigafactory have become a very welcome boost to Nevada’s economy and have contributed to a new ten year low in unemployment in Q1 2017.",{"type":574,"attrs":762,"content":763},{"textAlign":49},[764],{"text":765,"type":579},"In terms of energy costs, Nevada is one of the cheapest locations in the world let alone the US, sourcing power from hydro and natural gas while the prospect for stored solar power is significant – a reason why Tesla have adorned the roof of Gigafactory 1 with photovoltaic panels.",{"type":574,"attrs":767,"content":768},{"textAlign":49},[769],{"text":770,"type":579},"Contrary to popular belief, Nevada’s small scale 6,000 tpa lithium carbonate equivalent production in Silver Peak (now owned and operated by Albemarle) and its resources in the same area, a four-hour drive north-west of Las Vegas, was not a contributing factor to locating in the state.",{"type":574,"attrs":772,"content":773},{"textAlign":49},[774],{"text":775,"type":579},"A close second in the race for Gigafactory 1, Texas is now one of the front runners for a future Gigafactory.",{"type":574,"attrs":777,"content":778},{"textAlign":49},[779],{"text":780,"type":579},"The Lone Star State is a logistical hub for both east and west coasts of North America and has some of the most extensive railroad networks in the country.",{"type":574,"attrs":782,"content":783},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":785,"content":786},{"textAlign":49},[787],{"text":788,"type":579},"It has an infrastructure of offering intermodal rail facilities allowing cargo to easily exchange between rail, sea freight and truck mainly – an infrastructure developed by a world class chemicals industry, the number one category of goods transported by the state.",{"type":574,"attrs":790,"content":791},{"textAlign":49},[792],{"text":793,"type":579},"As a result, Texas is not short of skilled labour and has world leading universities in Houston and Austin. Logistical hubs of interest to Tesla would include El Paso, Amarillo, San Antonio and Houston. “Everyone’s gunning for them, and it will become a little bit of a beauty pageant,” said director for Bexar County, San Antonio’s home region, about the previous Gigafactory ‘competition’ in 2014.",{"type":574,"attrs":795,"content":796},{"textAlign":49},[797],{"text":798,"type":579},"“Everyone’s scrubbing their databases to check for contacts they have, (and) it’s most important that you know somebody who knows somebody.”",{"type":574,"attrs":800,"content":801},{"textAlign":49},[802],{"text":803,"type":579},"“I’ve got my staff researching to try to see what’s in the pipeline, but every other major city and economic development group in Texas is doing the same thing,” he explained to the San Antonio Express News.",{"type":574,"attrs":805,"content":806},{"textAlign":49},[807],{"text":808,"type":579},"This is all despite the state-wide ban on direct sales of vehicles from a manufacturer to end user with consumers having to go through a dealer – something Tesla has vigorously challenged over the last year.",{"type":574,"attrs":810,"content":811},{"textAlign":49},[812],{"text":813,"type":579},"If Texas has any chance of hosting the next Gigafactory, one would imagine they would need to change state regulation to allow Tesla to circumnavigate dealerships and sell direct to consumers.",{"type":574,"attrs":815,"content":816},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":818,"content":819},{"textAlign":49},[820],{"text":821,"type":579},"Elon Musk has specifically cited that that the Tristate area of the US could be an option for a future Gigafactory. “Something on a tristate border might work,” the CEO explained on Twitter.",{"type":574,"attrs":823,"content":824},{"textAlign":49},[825],{"text":826,"type":579},"“[A] Gigafactory plus nearby supporting supply chain needs a very large workforce,” Musk added. Tristate is the colloquial term for three adjoining states.",{"type":574,"attrs":828,"content":829},{"textAlign":49},[830],{"text":831,"type":579},"And while many immediate assumptions were that this could mean the New York- New Jersey- Connecticut apex, Musk’s response was to a question about West Virginia (WV).",{"type":574,"attrs":833,"content":834},{"textAlign":49},[835],{"text":836,"type":579},"This could mean a Gigafactory further south than first thought at the WV-Ohio- Pennsylvania borders. Either option is well positioned to serve the country’s affluent north east– a potential demand hotspot for future EVs.",{"type":574,"attrs":838,"content":839},{"textAlign":49},[840],{"text":841,"type":579},"The international sea port connections on the east coast are also good with the Port of Baltimore and New York and New Jersey relatively close by should Tesla’s desire to export from the US.",{"type":574,"attrs":843,"content":844},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":619,"attrs":846,"content":847},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[848],{"text":849,"type":579},"Europe",{"type":574,"attrs":851,"content":852},{"textAlign":49},[853],{"text":854,"type":579},"The West Midlands – a region stretching in and around the UK’s second largest city of Birmingham – is the country’s largest auto manufacturing base owing to production at three sites by Jaguar Land Rover Group (JLG): Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull.",{"type":574,"attrs":856,"content":857},{"textAlign":49},[858],{"text":859,"type":579},"In 2016, the company which is now owned by India’s Tata Group produced 544,401 vehicles including the F-Type, F-Pace, Range Rover and Discovery models.",{"type":574,"attrs":861,"content":862},{"textAlign":49},[863],{"text":864,"type":579},"Over the past 5 years, JLG has invested £12bn ($15bn) into new product innovation and capital expenditure and has doubled its workforce to 40,000 people.",{"type":574,"attrs":866,"content":867},{"textAlign":49},[868],{"text":869,"type":579},"The strategy includes a heavy focus on pure electric vehicles as was seen at the launch of its new I-Pace concept model in November 2016, a Tesla Model S competitor with a 100kWh lithium ion battery pack.",{"type":574,"attrs":871,"content":872},{"textAlign":49},[873],{"text":874,"type":579},"Production of the I-Pace is expected to begin in the UK in 2017 and with the company’s plans to use 100% renewable energy to make its vehicles, JLG and Tata Group’s activity in this region could be a decisive factor if any Tesla Gigafactory were to come to the UK.",{"type":574,"attrs":876,"content":877},{"textAlign":49},[878],{"text":879,"type":579},"Sunderland, a northern city that was decimated by the decline of coal mining in 20th Century, is the second largest auto manufacturing base in the country with Nissan building over 507,000 LEAF, Juke, Note and Quashai vehicles there in 2016.",{"type":574,"attrs":881,"content":882},{"textAlign":49},[883],{"text":884,"type":579},"The UK government have also shown they are not shy to do a deal. Nissan was one of the first corporations to sign a deal in a post Brexit UK to build two new models there. Most significantly, Sunderland has been constructing the battery packs for its LEAF range of vehicles being sold into Europe since 2009.",{"type":574,"attrs":886,"content":887},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":889,"content":890},{"textAlign":49},[891],{"text":892,"type":579},"Nissan’s LEAF manufacturing facility in Sunderland, UK",{"type":574,"attrs":894,"content":895},{"textAlign":49},[896],{"text":897,"type":579},"As a result, the Japanese manufacturer employs 7,000 people in the region – a similar size employer to a full scale Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. While Sunderland’s rejuvenation as a car manufacturing hub has been down to significant investment from Nissan, it is not the only potential location for a battery megafactory.",{"type":574,"attrs":899,"content":900},{"textAlign":49},[901],{"text":902,"type":579},"Oxford is the UK’s third largest automotive hub in terms of number of vehicles manufactured with BMW’s Mini operation producing over 210,000 units in 2016. Nearby Swindon is home to Honda’s UK operation and was historically a significant manufacturer of cars.",{"type":574,"attrs":904,"content":905},{"textAlign":49},[906],{"text":907,"type":579},"Formula 1 teams such as McLaren and Williams are also located in the region which has become a technical centre for the global auto sector –partnerships with local universities such as Oxford Brookes and Oxford University have helped.",{"type":574,"attrs":909,"content":910},{"textAlign":49},[911],{"text":912,"type":579},"The UK is now a country in post-Brexit dealmaking mode and seeking to capitalise on a long history of automotive production. In 2016, 80% of all vehicles produced in the UK were exported – an equivalent of 1.35m units with the EU, US and China the top three customers.",{"type":574,"attrs":914,"content":915},{"textAlign":49},[916],{"text":917,"type":579},"Any Gigafactory located in the country would no doubt be gifted with significant subsidy by the British Government.",{"type":574,"attrs":919,"content":920},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":922,"content":923},{"textAlign":49},[924],{"text":925,"type":579},"Rumours were circulating around the industry that France made itself first in the queue for a new Gigafactory location following a visit to the Tesla Fremont Factory by the its Economy Minister, Michel Sapin, in Q1 2017.",{"type":574,"attrs":927,"content":928},{"textAlign":49},[929],{"text":930,"type":579},"The majority of the country’s EV production is dominated by pure EVs – which have an 80% share compared to PHEV’s 20% in Q4 2016 – and by Renault’s Zoe, the country’s number one selling battery powered vehicle which is receiving a 41kWh upgrade in 2017 adding to the 21kWh option at present.",{"type":574,"attrs":932,"content":933},{"textAlign":49},[934],{"text":935,"type":579},"The Zoe is produced in Flins, a small town 40km from Paris. It is an area which a long automotive manufacturing history owing to Renaults’ involvement.",{"type":574,"attrs":937,"content":938},{"textAlign":49},[939],{"text":940,"type":579},"The plant is undergoing an expansion to increase manufacturing capacity of both the vehicle and the battery pack. Another relevant location for a new Gigafactory would be in the west of France in and around Bordeaux. Saft – the country’s leading battery producer for high end applications ranging from aerospace to automotive – has three manufacturing plants in Bordeaux, Nersac and Poitiers.",{"type":574,"attrs":942,"content":943},{"textAlign":49},[944],{"text":945,"type":579},"The company received a $1bn investment from oil producer, Total, in 2016 – produces batteries based on nickel, primary and secondary lithium cells, packs and fully integrated systems.",{"type":574,"attrs":947,"content":948},{"textAlign":49},[949],{"text":950,"type":579},"Lithium ion batteries receives over 70% of the group’s R&D funding with a specific focus on phosphate based lithium chemistries and nickel-cobaltmanganese (NCM) cells in a prismatic form.",{"type":574,"attrs":952,"content":953},{"textAlign":49},[954],{"text":955,"type":579},"France is not short on the knowledge pool to produce high performance lithium ion batteries, this combined with strong government support for EVs could see it as a leading favourite for any European Gigafactory.",{"type":574,"attrs":957,"content":958},{"textAlign":49},[959],{"text":960,"type":579},"Home to LG Chem’s new EV battery plant, Poland could be the ideal location in the heart of mainland Europe to produce batteries for the continent.",{"type":574,"attrs":962,"content":963},{"textAlign":49},[964],{"text":965,"type":579},"The Korean lithium ion producer is presently building its new EV megafactory in Wrocław, south west of the country close to the border with Germany and Czech Republic.",{"type":574,"attrs":967,"content":968},{"textAlign":49},[969],{"text":970,"type":579},"The new 4GWh plant will begin construction in Q2 2017 and is expected to be operation by the year’s end. LG Chem has grand plans to turn Poland in the hub for lithium ion production in Europe.",{"type":574,"attrs":972,"content":973},{"textAlign":49},[974],{"text":975,"type":579},"“We will turn the Poland EV battery plant into a mecca of battery production for electric vehicles around the world,” UB Lee, President of LG Chem declared in October 2016.",{"type":574,"attrs":977,"content":978},{"textAlign":49},[979],{"text":980,"type":579},"“As LG Chem’s Poland EV battery plant is the first large-scale automotive lithium battery production plant in Europe, it will play the role of vitalising the electric vehicle industry across the whole Europe. We will put all our efforts into making the plant into a main production hub for EV batteries,” he added.",{"type":574,"attrs":982,"content":983},{"textAlign":49},[984],{"text":985,"type":579},"Grand words indeed and a prospect that Tesla could take advantage of. The battery facility being constructed on LG Chem’s industrial complex, a 45 minute drive from the centre of Wrocław, a city which has pushed to attract hi-tech companies since the early 2000s.",{"type":574,"attrs":987,"content":988},{"textAlign":49},[989],{"text":990,"type":579},"Other majors located in the area include: IBM, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric and Don Yang Electronics. It is also part of the European Union’s single market but retains its own currency, the złoty, and can therefore expected more flexibility with an uncertain future for the Euro.",{"type":574,"attrs":992,"content":993},{"textAlign":49},[994],{"text":995,"type":579},"Netherlands is already home to a Tesla assembly facility in Tilberg that constructs vehicles for the European market.",{"type":574,"attrs":997,"content":998},{"textAlign":49},[999],{"text":1000,"type":579},"At present, Tesla part builds the Model S in California and ships in larger components to be assembled at the 19,000 square metre facility that was opened in 2013.",{"type":574,"attrs":1002,"content":1003},{"textAlign":49},[1004],{"text":1005,"type":579},"Without importing the complete cars, the company can circumnavigate high taxes placed of vehicles of non-EU origin. The location was chosen due to its proximity to Rotterdam port, one of the major shipping hubs in Europe.",{"type":574,"attrs":1007,"content":1008},{"textAlign":49},[1009],{"text":1010,"type":579},"It is also close to the Germany cities of Dusseldorf, Dortmund, and Frankfurt as well as the Belgian border. Netherlands is a member of both the EU single market and the Euro.",{"type":574,"attrs":1012,"content":1013},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":1015,"content":1016},{"textAlign":49},[1017],{"text":1018,"type":579},"Kamenz, Germany: home to Mercedez Benz Energy’s battery pack facility and Electrovaya’s lithium ion plant",{"type":574,"attrs":1020,"content":1021},{"textAlign":49},[1022],{"text":1023,"type":579},"With the recent purchase of Grohmann Automation, the German engineering company that Tesla hopes will evolve it from a tech company to an industrial manufacturing one, the odds of Germany hosting the next Gigafactory have shortened.",{"type":574,"attrs":1025,"content":1026},{"textAlign":49},[1027],{"text":1028,"type":579},"In Europe’s heartland and with powerful chemicals and automotive industries, there are a number of locations to host the next battery megafactory.",{"type":574,"attrs":1030,"content":1031},{"textAlign":49},[1032],{"text":1033,"type":579},"In the heart of Germany’s Silicon Saxony, lies a small town called Kamenz that is already home to smaller scale lithium ion battery production and could be an ideal location for Tesla.",{"type":574,"attrs":1035,"content":1036},{"textAlign":49},[1037],{"text":1038,"type":579},"For the last 50 years, Dresden and Chemnitz has been home to Europe’s microelectronics industry, but in recent years it has attracted businesses in the energy storage and software arenas.",{"type":574,"attrs":1040,"content":1041},{"textAlign":49},[1042],{"text":1043,"type":579},"It is one of eastern Germany’s few economic success stories since the reunification and the area now employs 50,000 people. Kamenz is home to lithium ion cell production from Electrovaya and a battery pack facility operated by Mercedes Benz Energy subsidiary, Accumotive.",{"type":574,"attrs":1045,"content":1046},{"textAlign":49},[1047],{"text":1048,"type":579},"Electrovaya’s lithium ion battery facility has a capacity of 500MWh or half a gigawatt. Mercedes parent company, Daimler Group, made a significant commitment to its battery pack facility in Kamenz when it publicly announced in 2016 a €500m expansion plan that will increase its capacity by three-fold.",{"type":574,"attrs":1050,"content":1051},{"textAlign":49},[1052],{"text":1053,"type":579},"Today, the plant is producing booster battery packs for the hybrid Mercedes S Class vehicles, the full electric vehicle e-Smart, and early versions of its home storage product to compete with the Tesla Powerpack.",{"type":574,"attrs":1055,"content":1056},{"textAlign":49},[1057],{"text":1058,"type":579},"Construction of the expansion is now underway. It is located adjacent to Electrovaya’s lithium ion cell plant which Daimler previously owned and operated with Evonik.",{"type":574,"attrs":1060,"content":1061},{"textAlign":49},[1062],{"text":1063,"type":579},"The Canadian battery producer purchased the plant in 2015 and integrated its non-toxic cell process into the plant. When the facility was constructed, Daimler only expected to consumed a fraction of its designed capacity.",{"type":574,"attrs":1065,"content":1066},{"textAlign":49},[1067],{"text":1068,"type":579},"Today, the group anticipates it will need five times the one million cells produced.",{"type":619,"attrs":1070,"content":1071},{"level":621,"textAlign":49},[1072],{"text":1073,"type":579},"China",{"type":574,"attrs":1075,"content":1076},{"textAlign":49},[1077],{"text":1078,"type":579},"China has made a concerted effort to become the centre of new world lithium ion battery production for EVs. Regions such Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen have become home to new megafactories operated by homegrown companies such as CATL, ATL and Lishen.",{"type":574,"attrs":1080,"content":1081},{"textAlign":49},[1082],{"text":1083,"type":579},"There has also been significant investment into new joint ventures with its neighbours, Japan and South Korea.",{"type":574,"attrs":1085,"content":1086},{"textAlign":49},[],{"type":574,"attrs":1088,"content":1089},{"textAlign":49},[1090],{"text":1091,"type":579},"Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong and Shenzhen have long been hotspots of activity for Tesla",{"type":574,"attrs":1093,"content":1094},{"textAlign":49},[1095],{"text":1096,"type":579},"Samsung SDI has invested in a Dalian plant to exclusively produce lithium ion cells for the domestic EV market while LG Chem has committed to Nanjing, a city close to Shanghai. New locations could feasibly be located in these east coast regions, most of which has tax incentivised industrial parks that are always seeking new tenants.",{"type":574,"attrs":1098,"content":1099},{"textAlign":49},[1100],{"text":1101,"type":579},"However, Shenzhen has always been a city close to Tesla. It was home to its first Supercharger in China and is ideally located next to Hong Kong, a significant market for the company while being in mainland China.",{"type":574,"attrs":1103,"content":1104},{"textAlign":49},[1105],{"text":1106,"type":579},"Shenzhen is also well known as one of the country’s leading tech hubs with companies such as operating there. At the end of March, tech investment company, Tencent, purchased a 5% stake in Tesla.",{"type":574,"attrs":1108,"content":1109},{"textAlign":49},[1110],{"text":1111,"type":579},"Tencent is best known for owning Wechat, an mobile communication app popular in China, but is also one of the world’s biggest technology and internet related companies. With Tesla’s new shareholder being based in Shenzhen, it appears a foregone conclusion that a Chinese Gigafactory is on the horizon.","Tesla’s search for new Gigafactory battery plant locations begins While the Tesla Gigafactory is not yet close to its designed capacity, Elon Musk is already planning his second, third and fourth lithium ion battery plants. Simon Moores & Caspar Rawles look at potential locations for a new generation of battery megafactories. Tesla’s financial results released […]",[1114],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":1115},{"job_title":565,"image":1116,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},{"filename":567},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"f3aa812f-c865-49bb-aec8-bea173a67651\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[1120,1123,1126],{"slug":1121,"name":1122},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":1124,"name":1125},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":1127,"name":1128},"gigafactories","Battery & Gigafactory","private",{"id":49,"alt":1131,"name":1131,"focus":1131,"title":1131,"source":1131,"filename":1132,"copyright":1131,"fieldtype":1133,"meta_data":1134,"is_external_url":51},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/ea1cf16058/bm-screen-shot-2017-06-14-at-151533.png","asset",{"alt":1131,"title":1131,"source":1131,"copyright":1131},"Jun 14, 2017","14th June 2017",[],[],1792773945886]