Italvolt to build first Italian battery gigafactory

Startup Italvolt will build the first lithium-ion battery gigafactory in Italy with an initial capacity of 45 GWh, it announced on Monday February 15.

The initial phase of the project is due to be completed by spring 2024 and the investment required to fund the project is €4 billion ($4.85 billion), it said.

The initial 45 GWh capacity could subsequently be expanded to reach up to 70 GWh.

The company is currently in the process of identifying the site that will host the plant.

“Our goal is to secure the future of the automotive industry and ensure that the supply chain is as green as possible, from start to finish. The socioeconomic impact that the new green industrialization brings with it will represent a turning point for the world,” Italvolt chief executive officer Lars Calstrom – who is also founder and shareholder of British battery start-up Britishvolt – said.

Lithium-ion batteries are used to power hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as mass energy storage systems and consumer electronics.

Sales of lithium-ion batteries are expected to increase sharply in the coming years while Europe and other regions move toward a low-carbon future.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price ddp Europe and US was $8.50-10 per kg on Thursday February 11, up from $7.50-8.50 per kg at the end of last year but down from $10-11 per kg a year ago.

What to read next
Reducing reliance on China’s hugely successful critical minerals supply chain dominance was never going to be easy, as some western mining companies are finding out the hard way.
This adjustment aims to better align the publication with the operational hours of the Chinese market, ensuring domestic market participants have timely access to the prices. Additionally, because the Chinese lithium assessments reflect activity within the local market, this amendment is intended to provide a more efficient and market-relevant pricing for subscribers. The new specifications […]
Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) has been added to the US Department of Defense’s Chinese Military Company (CMC) list.
Read our outlook on the EV market for 2025, including insights into how increasing production in China will shape the industry.
On September 25, the discontinuation was postponed from the originally scheduled final publication to take into account the needs of market participants that still had physical contracts linked to the lithium contract assessments in place. The affected prices are:• MB-LI-0031Lithium hydroxide monohydrate LiOH.H2O 56.5% LiOH min, battery grade, contract price cif China, Japan & Korea• MB-LI-0027Lithium carbonate 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery […]
Fastmarkets confirms it will discontinue its lithium contract assessments after their final publication date of Tuesday, December 24.