Figueruelas: Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) has officially broken ground on what is set to become Spain’s largest electric-vehicle battery plant, marking a significant milestone in Europe’s accelerating transition toward clean-energy manufacturing. Situated in the small Aragon town of Figueruelas, the multibillion-euro venture is being developed in partnership with European automaker Stellantis, signaling a deepening collaboration between Europe’s auto sector and China’s globally dominant battery industry.
The €4.1-billion project positions Spain as a central node in Europe’s EV supply chain. With construction now underway, CATL aims to begin battery production by late 2026, targeting an annual capacity of up to 50 gigawatt-hours upon full operation. The factory is expected to support Stellantis’ ambitious expansion of electric-vehicle output across its European facilities, ensuring a stable and advanced battery supply for upcoming EV models.
One of the most striking elements of the project is CATL’s intention to bring roughly 2,000 skilled workers from China to Spain during the construction and initial operational phases. According to official’s familiar with the plan, the company believes that Chinese technicians possess the specialized expertise needed to install, calibrate, and launch complex battery manufacturing systems. Once the facility becomes fully functional, CATL and Stellantis plan to recruit and train around 3,000 Spanish employees to manage long-term operations, ensuring that the plant integrates into the local workforce ecosystem.
Spain has emerged as an attractive destination for high-tech manufacturing investment due to its lower labor costs compared to much of Western Europe and its industrial energy prices, which remain below the EU average. These competitive advantages have already drawn multiple battery-related projects to the country, positioning it as a future powerhouse of European EV manufacturing. The CATL-Stellantis venture further solidifies this trend and is expected to give a strong boost to regional economic development in Aragon.
Nevertheless, local industry representatives acknowledge that Spain faces a steep technological learning curve. Battery manufacturing especially at CATL’s advanced scale is relatively new territory for Spanish plants traditionally focused on assembling cars rather than creating core EV components. Industry leaders have remarked that Chinese firms like CATL are years ahead in battery science and production techniques, and that Spain will have to undergo a significant phase of skill development and technology transfer to keep pace.
The project also raises broader geopolitical questions at a time when Europe is attempting to balance industrial cooperation with China against the need to maintain strategic autonomy in critical sectors. With Brussels debating tighter rules on foreign investments, technology transfer, and supply-chain security, the CATL-Stellantis venture stands at the crossroads of European industrial policy and global competition in the EV era.
For now, the ground-breaking in Figueruelas marks the beginning of an ambitious chapter one that promises thousands of new jobs, major economic activity, and a strengthened foothold for Spain in the global electric-vehicle landscape. As construction accelerates and foreign specialists begin arriving, all eyes will remain on how the region adapts to its new role as a hub of battery innovation in Europe.