Gotion High-Tech prepares Africa’s first battery gigafactory in Morocco

Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech is set to commission Africa’s first battery gigafactory in Morocco, where it will manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for electric vehicle and stationary energy storage applications.

The facility, located in the Atlantic Free Zone in Kenitra and developed by local subsidiary Gotion Power Morocco, stems from a 2023 memorandum of understanding and is expected to begin production by the end of the summer. The first phase provides 10 GWh of annual manufacturing capacity.

The plant uses Gotion’s cathode-to-cell LFP technology, which integrates the cathode directly into the battery cell to reduce manufacturing costs and improve thermal safety, although with lower energy density than nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries.

The project has secured a €100 million loan from the African Development Bank, which also plans to mobilize up to €141 million in additional financing from partner institutions under the New African Financial Architecture for Development initiative.

Gotion plans to expand the site’s annual production capacity from 10 GWh to 100 GWh over time.

The company said the Moroccan facility will serve as a strategic export base for Europe while supporting growing regional demand for electric mobility. Earlier this month, Gotion Power Morocco President Khalid Qalam said batteries produced in Kenitra will primarily supply automotive manufacturing plants in Morocco and southern Europe through existing regional supply chains.

From pv magazine France