CATL's German battery plant powers up local green transition

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A new plant set up by China's leading battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL) in Germany to produce batteries for electric vehicles has brought significant economic and environmental benefits to the country and beyond. 

Germany has long been a pivotal force in the global car industry, renowned as the birthplace of the automobile. With the drive towards greener mobility, it wants more manufacturers to build factories and advance domestic electric vehicle production.

CATL, headquartered in the city of Ningde, east China's Fujian Province, started to build its first overseas base in 2018 in the German state of Thüringen.

"The battery making business is something you do very close with your customers. It's an eye to eye thing. And its important to have the short supply chains in the long term. We have had our first cooperation here in Germany starting in 2012. And then we decided to come here and start producing batteries in Germany and Europe in 2018," said Caspar Spinnen, public relations manager for CATL Germany.

This localized production offers multiple advantages. With batteries representing around 40 percent of an electric vehicle's price, local manufacturing reduces expenses and minimizes transport emissions. Importantly, it also creates jobs and fosters knowledge transfer.

"We are bringing a lot of new know-how here into the region. Battery manufacturing is still quite a new subject in Europe and that also comes with some added benefits.  We are also helping train people on the ground for future generations of battery production here on site," Spinnen said. 

This investment aligns with the EU's ambitious climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030.

But with not enough European battery producers to satisfy demand, Germany and other EU countries appear open to Chinese investment.

The plant aims to build hundreds of thousands of batteries for electric vehicles across the continent and beyond, to power the European Union's growing EV industry. 

CATL's German battery plant powers up local green transition

Protesters filled Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday, rallying in solidarity with Venezuela and denouncing U.S. influence in Latin America.

The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Holding numerous flags and banners while chanting slogans intermittently, a huge crowd of protesters criticized U.S. military actions against Venezuela and the unlawful control over President Maduro and his spouse, calling for respect for national sovereignty and regional peace.

"We oppose the U.S. intervention and hegemony towards the countries in Latin America. The United States has flagrantly trampled on international law, bombed Caracas and kidnapped the Maduro couple. The U.S. interventionism has become extremely blatant. We must firmly oppose and be highly vigilant, because this is not only related to a certain country, but also to all countries," said a protester.

"We demand that the United States stop interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs. The country must immediately cease its exploitation and plundering of the countries in Latin America," said another protester.

Protest erupts in Mexico City over US military operation in Venezuela