France on Tuesday opened its first factory for electric car batteries, hailed as a milestone in its quest to bring technology to Europe.
The gigafactory in the north-eastern town of Billy-Berclau is the first of several planned in France’s “electric valley”.
It is run by a consortium including Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and US conglomerate Stellantis, whose brands include Citroen, Opel and Peugeot.
The group, known as the Automotive Cells Company, is backed by the governments of France, Germany and Italy.
European countries and French President Emmanuel Macron in particular are pushing a “Made in Europe” credo to make the continent less reliant on the US and China in key industries.
The EU currently relies on China for many clean tech components such as electric car batteries and solar panels.
Although the EU maintains it is not seeking a total decoupling with China, leaders are keen to diversify after the war in Ukraine exposed Europe’s reliance on Russia for fossil fuels.
Despite the political enthusiasm, planned gigafactories in Europe have run into various difficulties and a UK company, Britishvolt, went into administration in January.
Europe has also objected to vast subsidies being offered to US clean tech companies under President Joe Biden’s $369 billion Inflation Reduction Act.
“The race is to determine who will lead in decarbonisation and who can stay on top amongst global competition,” Mercedes chief Ola Kallenius said at an opening event for the French factory on Tuesday.
The new €850 million ($912.2 million) campus “is a key part of our shift into the next stage of this race for both sustainability and for Europe’s competitiveness”, Mr Kallenius said.
The factory in Billy-Berclau is expected to employ 2,000 people by 2030.
The company intends to build more factories in Germany and Italy by 2026.
It is hoped that production from the three factories could reach 120 gigawatt hours of battery storage by 2030. Global demand for electric car batteries was 550 GWh last year and is expected to grow significantly.
The plan for three sites “illustrates our commitment to European industrial sovereignty in a strategic sector that is currently dominated by competition from Asia”, said the group’s chief executive Yann Vincent.
“All ACC employees are committed to contributing to the ecological transition of transport through the production of innovative batteries.”
Taiwan's ProLogium and China's Envision AESC have also announced plans to build gigafactories in France's northern region near the port of Dunkirk.
Electric cars are key to Europe’s ambition to slash its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
The EU has a plan to ban the sale of new cars with combustion engines by 2035, with electric vehicles expected to fill most of the gap.
Germany has lobbied for synthetic e-fuels to remain in the frame beyond that date. Britain plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Electric cars made up a record 18 per cent of new vehicle registrations in the EU last year, up from 11 per cent the year before.
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
