Akasol opens gigafactory

08/17/2021 | Print view

The first expansion stage of Akasol's gigafactory in Darmstadt is completed. - © Akasol — © Akasol

The first expansion stage of Akasol's gigafactory in Darmstadt is completed.

The storage manufacturer Akasol has commissioned the first expansion stage of its gigafactory. This will enable the company to produce batteries with a storage capacity of one gigawatt hour per year.

The Darmstadt-based storage manufacturer Akasol has commissioned its new production lines with a production capacity of up to five gigawatt hours of storage capacity per year. In the first stage of expansion, however, the factory will initially have a capacity of one gigawatt hour per year. Gradually, Akasol will expand the production facility to a capacity of 2.5 gigawatt hours by the end of 2022.

Five gigawatt hours planned in the final expansion stage

Depending on demand, Akasol will then double its production capacity to five gigawatt hours in the coming years. "The opening of Gigafactory 1 is a significant milestone in our company history," emphasises Sven Schulz, CEO of Akasol. "Here in Darmstadt, we produce high-performance lithium-ion battery modules and systems in a highly automated and extremely advanced production facility, which are an important key in the transport and energy transition."

Test centre integrated

This is because Akasol's batteries are mainly used in commercial vehicles. If production capacities are fully expanded, the company will be able to manufacture battery systems for 10,000 commercial vehicles every year. To ensure quality and also further development, the 15,000 square metre two-storey building also houses a test and validation centre for testing the battery cells, modules and storage systems. The adjacent office building houses not only administration, sales and product and project management, but also a research and development department.

Production with solar power

The batteries are of course produced with solar power. For this purpose, a solar system with an output of 600 kilowatts was installed on the roof of the new production building. Akasol uses most of the electricity itself. The company supplies the surplus to a large charging park with 60 charging columns for electric vehicles. (su/mfo)