Renault and Chinese Minth Group join forces to produce EV battery casings in France

Renault and Minth Group announced the intention to create a joint venture with the aim of producing battery casings for electric vehicles in France. Indeed, the JV will locate this high-tech activity at the ElectriCity’s Ruitz plant and will supply ElectriCity Douai and Maubeuge plants.

Renault and Minth: what are battery casings and why they’re crucial

The battery casing, a set of extruded aluminium parts assembled by friction welding in which the battery modules are housed, is a strategic component of the high-tech electric vehicle and contributes to the vehicle’s durability and safety. According to the plans outlined by the partners, the joint venture will install two new production lines in Ruitz in 2023 with a capacity of 300,000 battery casings per year by 2025, for electric models.

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Statements from both the partners

“This new strategic partnership with Minth Group, alongside with our partnership with Envision AESC to set up a gigafactory in Douai to manufacture of latest technology, cost-competitive, low-carbon batteries allows Renault Group to position itself as a leading player in the entire value chain of electric vehicles. By integrating this new high-tech activity of battery casing assembly in Ruitz, this joint venture is perfectly in line with the group’s strategy to create a best-in-class ecosystem as close as possible to our production sites. This strategy will help Renault Group become a more competitive and efficient EV player, accelerate its industrial transformation, and reach its ecological transition targets. And in the meantime, we thus reaffirm our willingness to produce popular, affordable, and cost-effective electric cars in France”, stated Jose-Vicente de los Mozos, EVP Industry, Renault Group.

“We are thankful for the support from Renault Group over the past years and successful battery casing programs. With the rapid growth of business, the joint venture company will bring this activity to France, achieving carbon emission reduction, benefits for the local economy, and Minth’s own global expansion”, added Jimmy Wong, Managing Director of Minth Europe.