The Cellforce Group will establish the development and production facility for high-performance battery cells in the inter-municipal economic zone in Reutlingen-Nord / Kirchentellinsfurt. This was determined by the Porsche and Customcells shareholder committees after a thorough examination of all options. According to a letter from Porsche, there were several locations in Baden-Württemberg to choose from.
The determining factor for the industrial zone between Reutlingen and Tübingen was primarily the geographical location: “A clear commitment to Baden-Württemberg as a location was a key criterion for us. At Reutlingen-Nord / Kirchentellinsfurt we benefit from the short distances of many important research and manufacturing partners in the Stuttgart region‘, says Marcus Graf, Chief Operating Officer of Cellforce Group. “For us, physical proximity to as many project partners as possible is the key requirement for rapid success.”
Short distance research and manufacturing partners
Cellforce consciously relies on cooperation with many partner companies. “It was very successful in the field of cell chemistry, which is why it will also be taken to productionGriff says.In addition, it is a stone’s throw from our current location in Tübingen and the Porsche AG development in Weissach via the nearby Federal Road B27.‘, says the Director of Operations. Cellforce is acquiring more than 30,000 square meters of space in the industrial district of Reutlingen-Nord / Kirchentellinsfurt. A production facility will be built on this basis from 2022, which will initially produce high-performance battery cells for about 1,000 electric cars per year. Capacity: 100 megawatt-hours per year Production is scheduled to begin in 2024 It is envisaged that the Cellforce battery cells will be built into a high-performance electric-powered model from Porsche.
The originally planned site in Tübingen was ultimately not determined because the planning has evolved significantly over time. Despite the good cooperation with the city of Tübingen, this site cannot be implemented. Subsequently, the city of Reutlingen actively offered a site in the industrial district of Reutlingen-Nord / Kirchentellinsfurt in agreement with the municipality of Kirchentellinsfurt and the city of Tübingen.
Thomas Keck, Mayor of Reutlingen, welcomes the decision to locate the Silverforce Collection: “Together with our highly committed employees, we have succeeded in convincing Cellforce of the merits of our site and technology position. This settlement will greatly enhance the already existing electric mobility range. In addition, the regional center Reutlingen Tübingen and the already existing good economic cooperation will be strengthened. “
The Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Baden-Württemberg finance the project with about 60 million euros. In the meantime, the Cellforce Group has received a funding decision from the Federal Ministry of Economics as part of the European IPCEI EuBatIn project (Important Project of Common European Interest – European Battery Innovation). The aim of this financing project, totaling several billion euros, is to build a competitive European value chain for lithium-ion batteries.
Higher energy density than current series batteries
The new high-performance cell chemistry relies on silicon as the anode material. This makes it possible to significantly increase the energy density compared to the current series batteries. The battery can be more compact with the same energy content. The new chemistry also reduces the internal resistance of the battery. As a result, it can absorb more energy during recovery and is also more efficient during fast charging. Another special feature of the Cellforce battery cell: It has to be more resistant to higher temperatures.
The Cellforce Group initially develops and produces high-performance lithium-ion pod cells for special automotive applications. Porsche AG holds a 72.7 percent stake in the company, while Customcells Holding GmbH owns the remaining shares. The managing directors are Markus Graf as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Wolfgang Hoskin as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Torge Thunesen as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). By 2025, the workforce is expected to grow from currently 23 to around 100 people.
Source: Porsche – Press release on December 17, 2021
