CATL has begun trial production at its newly built battery cell manufacturing facility in Debrecen, Hungary, as the company moves towards series production at the site.
According to CATL, trial production commenced on 22 September after the company completed the required permitting and other preconditions.
The trial phase will be used to set up, optimise and validate production equipment and manufacturing processes before series production begins.
The company said the first two production lines at the cell manufacturing facility are now undergoing trial operations following the issuance of an occupancy permit in August and completion of the requirements under its Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) permit.
CATL announced plans for the Debrecen plant in August 2022 as part of its efforts to integrate into the European automotive and e-mobility supply chain. Construction of the first cell manufacturing building began in summer 2023, with equipment installation completed by spring 2026.
The Hajdú-Bihar County Government Office conducted regular on-site inspections before issuing the occupancy permit, following previously identified issues that had raised concerns among local residents.
CATL said authorities confirmed that the deficiencies identified during the permitting process had been addressed.
The company said the Debrecen facility is intended to supply European automakers and will eventually have a production capacity of 100 GWh, making it CATL’s largest manufacturing base outside China once all facilities are operational.
CATL has already been manufacturing battery modules at the Debrecen site since autumn 2024, producing 537,000 modules to date, according to the company.
During the trial production period, CATL said it will continue monitoring employee health and safety and environmental factors, with results to be submitted to authorities.
The company also said it would continue working with Hungarian government agencies and authorities throughout the process.
