Envision AESC’s battery base breaks ground

By Yan Wanqin.

Battery producer Envision AESC began constructing its intelligent lithium battery production base in the Yichang High-Tech Zone on October 27.

Envision AESC, one of the first companies to achieve mass production of power batteries, ranked among the top three manufacturers in overseas energy storage cell delivery in 2024. Its power batteries power over 1 million vehicles for leading global automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Renault, across more than 60 countries.

The Yichang project involves a total investment of 24.2 billion yuan (US$3.4 billion) and marks Envision AESC’s 14th major production base globally. It will establish a facility for intelligent lithium battery production and a net-zero carbon industrial park.

The project's first phase includes an investment of 12 billion yuan and aims to achieve an annual production capacity of 40 GWh, enough to power 15.38 million people for a day. The facility will produce a full range of lithium battery products, from electrodes and cells to battery packs, including the latest generation of energy storage batteries with capacities over 700 Ah.

The first battery cell is set to roll off the production line on July 15, 2026, with the project expected to generate an annual output value exceeding 10 billion yuan upon reaching full capacity.
 

“Abundant resources, a favorable business environment, and a well-established industrial ecosystem were key factors in our decision to choose Yichang,” said Zhao Weijun, president of the China branch of Envision AESC.

He highlighted the company's commitment to developing a world-class, green, intelligent, and digital factory focused on lithium battery production. The facility aims to create a complete industry chain that includes natural resources, raw materials, cathode materials, lithium batteries, and system-level applications, positioning Yichang as a globally competitive hub for the lithium battery industry.

In recent years, Yichang has actively transformed its traditional chemical industry into the new energy and materials sector. The city is building a national-level new energy battery industry cluster, attracting industry leaders such as CATL, Brunp, Sunwoda, CORNEX New Energy, and Wanhua Chemical. Together, these companies are establishing a comprehensive new energy battery industry chain with an annual energy storage manufacturing capacity of 200 GWh.