The first phase of Gotion High-Tech’s Morocco EV battery gigafactory is in the works

A step forward for Morocco’s EV battery gigafactory: Morocco signed an agreement with Chinese battery maker Gotion High Tech (Gotion) to establish the first phase of its EV batteries gigafactory in Morocco’s Kenitra city with an investment ticket of MAD 12.8 bn (c. USD 1.3 bn), according to a statement released on Thursday. This comes two days after Morocco’s National Investment Commission approved the project.

What we know so far: The first phase is set to have a production capacity of 20 GWh and an export capacity of USD 2 bn, with construction starting in June 2026, according to MAP. Gotion plans to raise the plant’s capacity to 100 GWh, with the total investment expected to reach around USD 6.5 bn, Reuters wrote. The mega project is expected to create some 17k jobs.

Discussions have been brewing: Gotion — which is backed by Germany’s giant equipment manufacturer Volkswagen Group — and Morocco were in discussions in April to secure a location for the project. The company also partnered with tech giant ABB Group to collaborate on the building of the EV battery gigafactory earlier in the year. The company signed an MoU with Morocco for the batteries and energy storage systems factory, the first of its kind in Africa and MENA, last year.

Gotion beat others to the race: Chinese battery minerals producer Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt was also exploring a USD 20 bn electric vehicle battery plant in Morocco last August.

Morocco’s EV manufacturing base is booming: Morocco and Chinese EV battery components maker BTR New Material inked a USD 297 mn investment agreement to build a cathode factory for EV batteries in April. Chinese copper tubes and rods manufacturer Zhejiang Hailiang is also planning to construct a USD 288 mn plant for the production of lithium-battery copper foil in Morocco. Chinese battery giant CNGR partnered with Morocco-based investment fund Al Mada last September to build a USD 2 bn industrial base for battery parts production and recycling.

And it extends to cars: Morocco boasts a combined annual car production capacity of 700k vehicles from automakers Stellantis and Renault, Reuters reported. Citroen also produces around 50k EV buses per year in Morocco with plans to double that output in two years. The kingdom is targeting the production of around 1 mn EVs in the next three to four years. Stellantis and Siemens began producing EVs at its Kenitra plant in Morocco in 2021, which manufactures Opel’s Rockes-e.

IN OTHER EV NEWS IN MOROCCO- Neo Motors opens showroom in Rabat: Moroccan EV maker Neo Motors opened its first showroom in Rabat, MAP reported on Saturday. The showroom will present the company’s first locally made EV model. Neo also plans to open 15 more showrooms throughout the kingdom. The automaker is planning to IPO on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and use part of the funds raised for the production of EVs within three years.