LG Energy Solution, Ford, and Koç to build new EV battery cell facility in Turkey

LG Energy Solution, Ford Motor, and Koç Holding will join forces to build a new commercial electric vehicle (V) battery cell plant near Ankara, Turkey.

The project is anticipated to support Ford Motor’s target of manufacturing more than two million electric vehicles worldwide by 2026.

Situated in an industrial zone in Başkent, the new joint venture will manufacture battery cells and will have an annual production capacity of no less than 25 gigawatt hours (GWh), with the potential to increase up to 45 GWh.

Lisa Drake — Ford Motor EV Industrialization vice president said: “Ford continues to ramp up our electric vehicle plans as we scale to be a leader in the electric vehicle revolution.

“We are delivering on the commitment to produce batteries in the same region where we build electric vehicles. Establishing the new joint venture with LGES and Koç Holding will lay a solid foundation that is fundamental to building a thriving electric vehicle future for Ford in Europe.”

American automobile manufacturer Ford Motor contemplates to offer an all-electric fleet of vans and passenger vehicles, a new generation of zero-emission vehicles in Europe by 2035.

Youngsoo Kwon — LG Energy Solution CEO said: “Now joining forces with Ford and Koç in Turkey, we will bring in our leading battery technology to further boost the EV transition in Europe, thereby leading the global initiatives for a more sustainable future.”

LG Energy Solution, Ford, and Koç to build new EV battery cell facility in Turkey. Image courtesy of Sabine Kroschel from Pixabay.

The construction of the EV battery cell production plant is expected to commence later this year, with production slated for 2026.

Ford Motor already has business relationships with both LG Energy Solution and Turkey’s Koç, with the South Korean battery company most recently supplying cells from its Poland facility for the Ford Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit.

Besides, Ford Motor and Koç have operated the Ford Otosan joint venture for the last 60 years.

LG Energy Solution’s battery manufacturing network spans six countries – Korea, the US, China, Indonesia, Poland, and Canada, with a total annual production capacity of 200GWh.