Samsung SDI has secured another major electric vehicle battery supply deal following its recent contract with Mercedes-Benz, this time with Volkswagen Group.
Samsung SDI plans to manufacture Volkswagen Group's standardized EV battery format, known as the "Unified cell," at its plant in Göd, Hungary. The company is expected to become the third supplier of the battery after China's Gotion High-Tech and Volkswagen battery subsidiary PowerCo.
According to industry sources, Samsung SDI is converting two production lines at its Hungary Göd Plant 1 to meet Volkswagen's Unified cell specifications. Equipment has already been moved into the facility. Mass production is expected to begin next year, though the exact production capacity has not been disclosed. Industry estimates place the scale in the double-digit gigawatt-hours (GWh) range.
The Hungary plant serves as a key production base for Samsung SDI, supplying batteries to major automakers including BMW, Volkswagen Group, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai Motor Group.
