Škoda Auto has manufactured 500,000 battery systems at its main plant in Mladá Boleslav. The strategically important components are mounted in MEB vehicles and models with plug-in hybrid drivetrain by the Group brands Škoda, Volkswagen, Audi and SEAT. This milestone proves: Škoda is forging ahead with the consistent implementation of its e-campaign. The car manufacturer is heavily investing in the necessary transformation of its facilities as well as development, digitalisation and further education of its workforce. The company has already upskilled more than 23,000 employees to prepare them for the demands of e-mobility.
“Battery systems are the key component for our successful transformation to e-mobility. The landmark jubilee of 500,000 Škoda-made battery systems for MEB and plug-in hybrid vehicles is an outstanding achievement: It testifies both the trust of the Volkswagen Group in our highly-skilled team and our uncompromising commitment to e-mobility. And we are even shifting up another gear soon: We will be opening an additional assembly line and further increase the daily production capacity of battery systems. We are therefore following our clearly defined roadmap in order to strengthen the Czech Republic as an e-mobility hub.“
Michael Oeljeklaus, Škoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics
Batteries for plug-in hybrid models produced since September 2019
High-voltage traction batteries for models with plug-in hybrid drive by Škoda as well as the group brands Audi, SEAT and Volkswagen have been produced at the company’s headquarters since September 2019. Each shift sees around 50 employees working in an area of roughly 2,000 m². On top of that, a total of 13 fully automated robots are for example handling particularly heavy components. Every 86 seconds, a battery for MQB-based models with plug-in hybrid drivetrain is completed. When it is being unloaded from the production line the battery weighs approximately 130 kilograms.
Production of MEB battery systems launched in May 2022
In May 2022, Škoda Auto launched the production of battery systems for all-electric vehicles based on the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB). The systems have a capacity of 55 to 82 kWh and are installed in the company’s own MEB models as well as MEB vehicles by Volkswagen and Audi. Along with the individual battery modules, each containing 16 cells or 24 cells, a MEB battery system also includes a case with an integrated cooling and a battery management system, as well as the necessary electrical connections. There are around 250 employees working at the current production line, in which Škoda Auto invested around 130 million euros. The car manufacturer will be commissioning another MEB assembly line in 2023, increasing its total production volume: the total capacity of MEB – 1,500 units and PHEV – 800 units battery systems together will thus increase to up to 2,300 units a day.
SOURCE: Škoda
