Wei Duan is EMEA Vice President at Gotion High-Tech. The Chinese battery cell manufacturer and Volkswagen partner is transforming itself into a global player and, after investing in the Göttingen plant, is now planning to set up two battery cell factories in Morocco and Slovakia.

Can you describe the very broad product portfolio and the core competencies of Gotion?

Our original core competence and the basis for all our other products is, of course, the battery cell. In addition to the cell itself, we mainly produce in two product categories: traction batteries for EVs and stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS). In addition, we offer a number of products in the area of battery charging and services related to recycling, which are, of course, becoming increasingly important. Since technological progress, particularly in battery cells, is advancing at an incredible rate, we are investing above average in research and development in order to continue to be among the technology leaders.

This means that you have to address and reach a wide range of industrial target groups. Is this an incentive for an expanded presence in many markets?

That’s what makes the topic of ‘batteries’ so challenging and, above all, exciting. Battery-powered storage systems are an absolutely vital future technology that will be indispensable in many areas of our lives in the near future. The markets in which we operate with our products are correspondingly diverse. Particularly in the industrial sector, battery technology will play a significant role in the transformation of the economy. We see great potential here and want to do our part to make this green, low-carbon future a reality. Geographically, we also have very diverse sales markets. Of course, there are several projects in Europe, but we also already have larger projects in some African countries that deal with the generation and storage of solar energy, for example.

Göttingen will remain a mainstay of our global activities in the long term, particularly for the production of high-quality battery energy storage systems

What is the significance of the Göttingen site in Gotion’s global production network? What is the roadmap for the plant and employment in Lower Saxony?

The Göttingen site plays a central role in our global corporate strategy, and not just because Göttingen was our first plant in the EMEA region. Although the construction of the plant in Slovakia means that the European headquarters will also be located in Bratislava in the future, we have a highly trained workforce at the Göttingen site that is very well attuned as a team, since it has been producing for Bosch here very successfully for decades. We made a very conscious decision to take over this plant and would like to continue this tradition. For this reason, Göttingen will remain a mainstay of our global activities in the long term, particularly for the production of high-quality battery energy storage systems and for global after-sales service.

We are convinced that the path to an electrified future can be better shaped with the right partners.

What are your objectives in building ecosystems? How important is collaboration on R&D and innovation to you? How important are projects with partners that also operate globally? What are the key locations and projects in Europe and North Africa?

Working with established partners is particularly important when entering the European market. We are in the fortunate position of already having several strong partnerships, such as with VW, for our establishment in Europe and are currently in the process of developing new partnerships, such as the recent one with the Dutch electric bus manufacturer Ebusco. This year and next, we will also be focusing on entering into further collaborations in the field of stationary energy storage, as we are convinced that the path to an electrified future can be better shaped with the right partners.

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The interview took place in January 2025 . The interview is part of a series of talks with German and Chinese companies and organizations, printed in the Annual Report 24/25 of CIIPA.