Taiwan’s ProLogium Technology said Monday it is partnering with France-based Automotive Cells Company (ACC) to jointly develop solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, Kallanish reports.

The agreement can strengthen ACC’s position as a European leader in the automotive battery development and manufacturing, while solidifying ProLogium’s position as a leader in solid-state battery technology.

“We will collectively bring the ProLogium Inside EV energy solutions to the market and deliver safe, high-performance, and nature-friendly battery products,” the Asian manufacturer says.  

“ProLogium will help us to deliver EV products with advanced battery technology and establish an adequate supply chain to enable a more enjoyable and safer driving experience,” comments ACC ceo Yann Vincent.

His counterpart at ProLogium says the partnership will further build on the company’s pioneering role in enabling the fast transition to electric driving. It will start mass production of solid-state lithium ceramic batteries in early 2023 in Taiwan, with ramp-up to follow in the second half of the year.

ProLogium is also on the lookout for a site to host its first overseas gigafactory, enabling it to scale-up production of its patented batteries with a focus on the automotive market. It plans to invest $8 billion over the next decade to build a multiphase 120 gigawatt-hour battery production facility in Europe. Current shortlisted host countries include France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and the UK. A decision on location is slated for Q2 2023.

Meanwhile, ACC – a joint venture of Saft, TotalEnergies, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz – is also working to develop 120 GW of battery production capacity in Europe by 2030. It has confirmed construction of its first gigafactory in Billy-Berclau, France, and defined two other sites in Germany and Italy.  

It’s unclear whether the partnership will be built under an industrial agreement or on a supply chain basis.