MARTORELL, Spain: A battery system assembly plant by Seat and Cupra has started operations at the Martorell factory, as the Volkswagen Group positions Spain as a hub for electromobility in Europe.
This is a key step in the electrification process for the series production of the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polo from 2026 onwards.
In addition, Seat and Cupra led the Electric Urban Car Family project for the Brand Group Core of the Volkswagen Group: four 100% electric models, from three different brands, all of them made in Spain.
“The opening of this battery system assembly plant is a turning point in the history of Seat and Cupra. Today we see how our ambition becomes a reality: we are ready to produce 100% electric Made in Spain cars that will make electric mobility accessible across Europe,” said Seat and Cupra CEO Markus Haupt.
Built in just over two years with an investment of 300 million euros (RM1.44bil), the battery system assembly plant covers 64,000 sq metres and has the capacity to assemble one battery system every 45 seconds, amounting to 1,200 battery systems per day and 300,000 per year.
From 2026 onwards, it will exclusively supply the production lines of the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polo, transporting the battery systems automatically to the assembly workshop via a 600-metre bridge.
This unique solution, together with the 11,000 solar panels on the roof, which will provide 70% of the electricity required for the battery systems assembly process, helps reduce the carbon footprint.
In addition, a water collection system with a capacity equivalent to three Olympic swimming pools, will reinforce the plant's commitment to resource efficiency.
The assembly plant opening marks a major step forward for the battery strategy of the Volkswagen Group.
The group’s Centre of Excellence Battery head Günther Mendl said, “The MEB+ battery system assembled at Martorell is a clear leap ahead as we introduce the unified cell, which is not just another battery cell but our global technology platform allowing unprecedented speed, scale, and flexibility across brands, regions, and segments."
"At the same time, we switch to compact cell-to-pack design and add lithium-iron phosphate as alternative cell chemistry. We achieve less dependency and more grip on tech innovation and cost, making e-mobility still more attractive and affordable.”
The opening of the battery system assembly plant marks the final stretch of the transformation process initiated by Seat and Cupra in 2020.
Together with the Volkswagen Group and its partners, the company has invested 10 billion euros (RM48bil) in Spain to turn the country into a benchmark for sustainable mobility.
Of this total, three billion euros (RM14.4bil) have been allocated exclusively to the electrification of Martorell, which is established as a flexible factory capable of producing 100% electric, hybrid and efficient combustion models for different Volkswagen Group brands.
This transformation reinforces Martorell’s position as the group's third largest production plant in Europe, responsible for 25% of the vehicles manufactured in Spain, with the aim of reaching a maximum capacity of 600,000 units per year, of which up to 300,000 could be battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the future.
