On Tuesday, Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, announced that EVE Energy Co. Ltd., the world’s ninth-largest battery cell manufacturer, plans to establish an electric vehicle battery production plant in Debrecen, eastern Hungary. The project, which will create over 1,000 new jobs, is valued at around 400 billion Hungarian forints (1.18 billion U.S. dollars), with the Hungarian government providing 14 billion forints in support. EVE Energy aims to fulfill the demand for cylindrical battery cells required by German automaker BMW’s Hungarian plant.
Szijjarto highlighted Hungary’s goal of becoming a global leader in environmental protection, noting that 95% of the plant’s water needs would be met using treated wastewater and surface water, and that the company would recycle part of the technological wastewater on-site. He also stressed the importance of transitioning to electric road transport to meet the European Union’s green transition requirements, stating that “Without electric cars, the European Green Deal cannot be a success, and there are no electric cars without electric batteries.”
In addition, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) has chosen Debrecen as the location for its giant 7.34-billion-euro (8 billion U.S. dollars) battery factory.
