June 16, 2023
Sandrine Cheminaud: Inside the Gigafactories
For several years now, massive factory projects have been springing up in the Hauts-de-France region to manufacture the future batteries for our electric vehicles. France aims to produce 2 million electric vehicles by 2030 to reduce its CO2 emissions. Sandrine Cheminaud explains the challenges of this massive transformation.
With brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, and Mercedes, Europe is a major hub for automakers. As vehicles become increasingly electrified, battery production is a critical factor.
Since 2018, Equans has established itself as an expert and agile partner in the construction of these gigafactories.
“We supported the first European gigafactory projects in Sweden. So we bring a reputation, experience, and expertise that make us attractive to all stakeholders involved in gigafactories in France. The industry isn’t mature yet, so we have to be extremely agile. We need to be proactive and adapt every day.”
“ Our strength lies in our ability to find resources wherever they are so that we can respond very quickly to these issues. ”
There’s no doubt that the automotive market is currently undergoing an electric revolution to reduce the carbon footprint of our daily transportation. But another question is already arising : what should be done with batteries once they reach the end of their life?
“The future of electric vehicle batteries will only make sense if we know how to recycle them. The Swedish startup we’ve been working with is currently building its recycling plant. In France, battery manufacturers are also working on these issues. All raw materials will eventually run out. And given the massive ambitions for battery production, it will only work if we know how to recycle them. ”