The gigafactory will be fully operational in 2028 and will produce one million batteries per year

The Government Council has given the green light to the Declaration of Autonomous Interest (DIGA) of the 
gigafactory promoted by Stellantis and the Chinese multinational CATL. The plant will operate at 100% in March 2028 and will produce one million batteries a year from then on . The Aragonese president, Jorge Azcón, has explained that they will go to the vehicles of the plant itself, other plants of the automobile company in 
Spain and even for other brands throughout the European Union. As confirmed last week with the signing of the agreement, both companies will invest close to 4.1 billion euros in the Zaragoza complex.

Azcón has outlined this Monday the roadmap following one of the announcements of the year. The so-called phase zero will start in June of next year. It will consist of earthworks, foundations and the placement of prefabricated structures for the buildings where the battery cells will be created. Phase one will lead to the equipment of the different plants, during phase two two new cell lines will be implemented , and phase three will involve the construction of two other buildings (the second for cells and one for modules) to increase production capacity.

Thus, full operation will be achieved in the aforementioned 2028 horizon . It is estimated that this million batteries will generate almost 12,000 million in annual turnover, which would double the figures for the entire automotive sector in Aragon in 2023. The entire process will generate more than 3,000 direct jobs, with a special impact on technological profiles, according to the leader of the DGA. The DIGA represents a boost to the project thanks to a “record” processing, in the words of Azcón. The president has insisted that the procedures will be resolved in six months, but “the regulations will be scrupulously complied with”.

In the future, other questions arise. The Executive will analyse, together with the Automotive Cluster, possible measures to attract manufacturers of battery components. Regarding the possibility of implementing aid, Azcón has pointed out that “ it is necessary ”, although it is not contemplated from the start in the DIGA. The thousands of projected jobs represent another challenge in terms of housing for Figueruelas and the surrounding municipalities. “We have to reflect, study these needs”, he continued.

Energy is another of the issues surrounding the plant. It will be powered by renewable sources and the Government of Aragon recognises that consumption will increase in line with the start-up of the gigafactory and the ban on manufacturing petrol, diesel and natural gas vehicles planned for the next decade. In any case, the president has stressed, “without concrete data” while waiting to meet with the new Minister of Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, who could speed up the public tenders of Red Eléctrica, one of the demands from the region.

The social agents have expressed their satisfaction with the launch of the project. The event in the Sala de Columnas del Pignatelli was attended by the president of CEOE Aragón, Miguel Marzo, the president of Cepyme, María Jesús Lorente, the general secretaries of UGT and CCOO in the Community, José Juan Arcéiz and Manuel Pina, and the president of the Automotive and Mobility Cluster, Benito Tesier.

The sector represents some 35,000 jobs and, according to the representatives, the arrival of the gigafactory means “tying them up” in times of transition towards electric vehicles. In addition, they have called for exploiting the potential of the initiative in terms of auxiliary industries.