CATL Launches Trial Production at New Hungary Plant, Marking Major Milestone in European Battery Manufacturing

Published: Sep 30, 2026 17:17 (GMT+8)

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CATL started trial production at its new cell plant in Debrecen, Hungary on September 22, commissioning its first two cell lines to validate equipment and processes ahead of mass production. The EUR 7.34 billion, 221-hectare site is planned for 100 GWh of annual capacity, making it CATL's largest manufacturing base outside China. Module assembly has run there since autumn 2024 with 537,000 units produced to date. Located next to BMW's Debrecen vehicle plant, the facility will supply BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Volkswagen. The ramp from modules to cells marks a milestone in European battery localization and will lift copper demand for battery foil, busbars and plant power infrastructure.

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