The Volkswagen gigafactory in Sagunt, the first that the multinational builds outside of Germany, has already become a reality. The directors of Power Co, a subsidiary for the generation of electric cell plants in the world, have today laid the first stone of a factory that will be operational in 2026 and that will directly employ 3,000 workers.
King Felipe VI, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, Minister Reyes Maroto and the Valencian President, Ximo Puig, have supported an act in which the multinational has announced that the plant will have the capacity to produce 150 million battery cells per year for half a million vehicles a year produced in Pamplona and Martorell. In addition, Wayne Griffiths, president of SEAT, has confirmed the objective of increasing the capacity of the Valencian gigafactory by 50% to go from the 40GWh planned to 60GWh.
Felipe VI has set the Sagunt plant as an example: “The automobile industry is a lever for transforming the country and Spain wants to be a complete electric mobility hub in Europe and connected to the manufacture of electric vehicles. It is a project, a great bet for the future”. “It is a major holiday, we are laying the first stone for the first Spanish gigafactory”, pointed out Griffiths, who stressed that the Sagunt factory is a key element in transforming Spain into an electric mobility hub in Europe, with the capacity to generate a direct impact of 21,000 million euros.
The President of SEAT recalled that “there were many who doubted this project, but we always trust in the support of Spanish institutions; We wanted to speed it up, with a joint investment for the Martorell, Sagunt and Pamblona plants of 10,000 million euros”. He added that Spain is the second largest car producer in Europe “and we cannot lose that privileged position.” In addition, he has pointed out the company’s desire to “democratize mobility” by making models of electric cars that are more accessible to citizens.
Thomas Schmall, director of Volkswagen, has offered more information about the Valencian plant. In this regard, he has indicated that “we will produce cells sustainably with renewable energy.” The factory will cover more than 200 hectares, will incorporate a recycling plant, a supply plant and a training center. “We are building a battery campus and we will manufacture with 100% green energy.”
The President of the Government has also stressed that Sagunt is a key piece for the “Spanish reindustrialization; it exemplifies the commitment to innovation and our commitment to the automotive industry”. In this regard, he recalled that the automobile sector employs two million people in Spain and accounts for 8% of GDP. “Sagunt is going to become a great vertex for one of the largest industrial investments aimed at reducing CO2 emissions” he added.
Ximo Puig, for his part, has indicated that “the effort to recover the Valencian reputation has been worth it. We will follow the agreed itinerary, we will accelerate the development of the Valencian factory”.
