Building Europe's Largest Battery Gigafactory - Mobility Moments With Italvolt's CEO Lars Carlstrom

Italvolt was established in the summer 2020 in Turin, Italy, and it's set to become the first battery gigafactory initiative in Southern Europe.

On this week's Mobility Moments, we talk to CEO and founder of Italvolt, Lars Carlstrom, about bringing a more sustainable and lasting future to both the Italian and the wider European automotive electric vehicle sector.

What are your current plans for building a battery gigafactory in Italy?

Italvolt is building the largest gigafactory in Europe, with a capacity of 45Gwh. It will be the largest industrial investment in modern times and will be located at the famous Olivetti site.

The gigafactory will be 300,000 ㎡ and will house 4,000 workers, whilst the wider ecosystem will create up to 10,000 new jobs. The first phase of construction will be completed in spring 2024.

In addition to the gigafactory, we’re building a research and technology centre which will be home to numerous academic and industrial partners. These partners will be working to develop the most forward thinking technology in the sector in close collaboration with the Politechnico University in Torino.

One of the main reasons we chose Italy for the site was the automotive and manufacturing heritage that the country has.

Having worked within the sector (at Saab and others) for a number of years before starting Italvolt, I’m acutely aware of the importance of Italy to the automotive ecosystem – we cannot let that fade away, like it has done in Detroit.

Italy is also positioned well geographically, in close proximity to Germany, it means that we are able to easily reach our end customers in terms of a supply chain perspective.

Why does southern Europe need a battery gigafactory?

Across the continent, as many as 20 gigafactories are being built. This is a step in the right direction – with each gigafactory, confidence in the European EV market is growing.

As with any car, you need parts and often these come from around the world, usually Asia – where they’re cheaper. The difference between EVs and 'normal' cars is that EVs are built to lower emissions, but it becomes counter intuitive if parts are being transported from all over the world. Therefore, in order to meet the growing demand across the continent, more gigafactories must be built so Europe can build a more sustainable future.

As we’ve seen over the past 18 months, Europe and especially Italy has been one of the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. We feel that by bringing a gigafactory to Italy will not only bring those much need jobs back to the area, but over the next five to 10 years, bring huge economic benefit. In post-pandemic recovery, this is essential.

How are you working with Pininfarina?

They’ll be designing the factory and leading the engineering works, which we’re absolutely delighted about. To partner with such a deeply celebrated automotive brand is truly humbling.

Pininfarina has been at the forefront of innovative design for over 90 years, including working with Ferrari so being part of that story and their family is an honour.

The revolutionary designs will ensure that the plant is both fit for purpose, whilst also representing the future of the European and global automotive industry.

How will the gigafactory integrate circular technology?

We have addressed this early on with our collaboration with American Manganese, who we have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with.

Their revolutionary technology will make it possible to recover 99.8% of all minerals in the battery and our recycling plant will be integrated in the gigafactory. By signing a collaboration with TUV SUD, we have also signalled our intent to certify all of our supply chain, technology and production in the most responsible manner possible.

Your thoughts on Tesla's gigafactories and how are you different?

I think there are some real positives about the Tesla’s European gigafactory. According to some reports, the factory is expected to employ 12,000 people, produce half a million cars for the European market per year, whilst pumping approximately €4bn into the economy.

However on the flip side, Berlin – where the plant is being built – is already a thriving city with a strong economy and job market. While increasing the number of jobs and bringing money to an area is always a benefit – especially during the coronavirus pandemic – the question has to be asked as to whether these jobs and money would be more useful in a more deprived area.

This is where Italvolt differs from Tesla. We are building our gigafactory in the centre of the Italian automotive heartland, an area in the Piedmont region with a rich heritage. Our gigafactory will bring back jobs and money to an area in desperate need, as we look to build a greener, more sustainable future for the automotive industry.

How can Italvolt help European countries achieve zero emissions?

Batteries are local and therefore must be produced locally, avoiding long transportation which adds more pollution to the environment.

Currently, many batteries on the market today are considered 'dirty batteries'. This must be addressed by central governments across Europe otherwise we’ll miss our zero emissions targets. By bringing back the supply chain to Europe and making it green certified, Italvolt will ensure the number of 'dirty batteries' on the market is drastically reduced.

What will urban mobility in Europe look like by 2030?

We believe the future is electric. Future generations will not value the car in the way that previous generations did. Cars are becoming more comparable to an iPhone, much more like a piece of technology than a piece of engineering.

It seems like now, with self-driving cars, they’re just used as a way to transport yourself from point A to B. For me as a car enthusiast, it all seems a bit boring – I prefer the look and feel of a car! But I think the future is closer than many think and we just need to adjust.