Chinese battery maker, Envision AESC, has reportedly signed a multi-year partnership with German auto giant, BMW, to supply the luxury carmaker with battery cells for its next-gen electric vehicles.

Envision AESC, which is headquartered in Japan, will be constructing a new 30GWh battery manufacturing plant in the US to support the production for the deal.

The new battery plant will be Envision’s third in the US, with a battery-making site in Tennessee and another in Kentucky, whose construction is underway. The two offer a total capacity of up to 70GWh, supporting the country’s push towards electric vehicles.

The Envision Group affiliate stated that it currently working on finalizing a suitable location that will be near BMW Group’s vehicle production and battery assembly facilities.

Shoichi Matsumoto, Envision AESC CEO, stated that the company is thrilled to team up with BMW in moving on to the next growth stage of its US business. Matsumoto added that the battery plant in South Carolina will create batteries that are lighter, denser, and more powerful with the ability to travel further and faster.

Joachim Post, Board Member of BMW AG, Purchasing and Supplier Network, stated that the new round cell has been tailored for the next-gen electric architecture with which it can enhance driving performance and range and reduce charging time.

Jeff Deaton, MD of Envision AESC US, stated the upcoming battery site and the supporting ecosystem, will lead to further investment in the whole life cycle opportunities and local supply chain of batteries, digital solutions, and renewable energy systems.

Deaton added that in turn, this will back the USA’s renewal, growth, and decarbonization agenda.

Envision AESC was founded in 2007, and has been heavily investing in technology research and development for supporting growth. It has built 12 global manufacturing sites under its commitment to reach 300GWh of capacity worldwide by 2026.

Source credit: http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202210/20/WS6350dcb9a310fd2b29e7d96f.html