Czech government wants construction of at least one battery gigafactory and lithium mining plant
The Czech government wants to see the construction of at least one electric car battery factory on its country’s territory, Vice-Premier and Industry and Trade Minister Karel Havlíček said on Tuesday.
According to Mr. Havlíček, Volkswagen, the parent company of Škoda Auto, and the South Korean technology firm LG have expressed interest in developing such a project, which the government says could be finished by 2026 or 2028 at the earliest.
Together with state energy company ČEZ director Daniel Beneš, the industry and trade minister also signed a memorandum on Tuesday which promises to support the planned project. He said that the Prunéřov former coal power station, located in the far north-west of Bohemia, is one of the locations being considered for the project.
According to Daniel Beneš, plans to construct the battery “gigafactory” are connected to the large lithium reserves detected in the Czech Republic several years ago. ČEZ will make a decision on whether to build a lithium mining facility next year. If the plan gets the green light, it would mean that the facility could start operating from 2025.
