On September 8, 2025, Chinese battery giant CATL announced its manufacturing facility in Debrecen, Hungary is scheduled to begin production in early 2026.
With an investment of €7.3 billion (approximately $8.52 billion US), the plant represents a major expansion of CATL’s European production capabilities, supplying batteries to leading automakers including BMW, Stellantis, and Volkswagen.
Significantly larger than CATL’s existing German site in Thuringia, the Hungary plant is designed with a planned annual capacity of 100 GWh and is expected to employ up to 9,000 people.
Matt Shen, CATL’s European general manager, emphasized the strategic importance of the European market for the company’s growth. In a Reuters report, he indicated that production in Debrecen is anticipated to begin by the end of 2025 or early 2026 — within the next four to five months.
CATL Taking the Lead on Battery Supply
CATL, which is listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, had previously disclosed in its prospectus that around 90% of the net proceeds from its Hong Kong IPO will be allocated to support the first and second phases of the Hungary project.
According to data from SNE Research, CATL increased its global market share for electric vehicle batteries to 38% in 2024, up two percentage points from the previous year, further extending its market lead. Hungary has emerged as one of the world’s leading battery manufacturing hubs. In addition to CATL, other Chinese battery manufacturers such as EVE Energy are also setting up production bases in Hungary.
This “going global” strategy, characterized by leadership from top players and support from other key industry contributors, is building a comprehensive global competitiveness framework for China’s power battery industry. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjárto expressed pride in the achievement, saying that such large-scale investments will further strengthen Hungary’s position as a battery production center.
Source: CATL
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