In Douai, in northern France, Automotive Energy Supply Corporation (AESC), a subsidiary of the Chinese company Envision, has decided to build a battery factory next to the Renault Georges Besse site, to equip the brand’s R4 and R5 models. The first phase, with a capacity of 9GWh/year, is due to go into production by 2024, and is expected to create around a thousand jobs. It could be followed by two or three other units, depending on demand, to reach a production capacity of 30 GWh/year by 2030.

The plant will integrate the three stages of production: manufacture of electrodes from powders (lithium oxide, nickel, manganese, cobalt), manufacture of cells (compression of electrodes, injection of electrolyte, etc.) and manufacture of modules (stacking of cells in a casing). This production is intended for electric passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, electric lorries and, possibly, stationary electrical storage (combined with solar and wind generation, etc.).

As the project owner’s technical assistant, Artelia is responsible for checking the conformity of the design studies, identifying the project’s main points of concern and proposing solutions to reduce the risks. Our teams are working to facilitate exchanges between Envision and the French players involved in the project. They also make proposals to optimise costs and deadlines.