Battery (Pack) Gigafactories
Battery packs are the system-level assemblies that integrate individual cells into modules and packs with the necessary electronics, cooling, and safety structures. While cells define chemistry and energy density, packs determine how effectively that energy is managed, delivered, and protected in the vehicle. Pack-level design is a major differentiator for automakers, impacting performance, safety, cost, and manufacturability. Gigafactories now dedicate entire production lines to pack assembly, often co-located with cell manufacturing to streamline logistics and ensure supply security.
EV battery worldwide market share
LG Energy = 14%. South Korea.
Panasonic = 6%. Japan
SK On = 5%. South Korea
CALB = 4.7%. China.
Samsung SDI = 4.6%. South Korea
Battery Pack Architectures
EV pack designs vary by how cells are grouped and integrated. Approaches are evolving toward higher integration and structural packs to reduce complexity and improve efficiency.
| Architecture | Examples | Advantages | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Module-Based Packs | Older Tesla packs, GM Bolt, early Nissan Leaf | Serviceable; easier quality control at module level | Heavier; lower volumetric efficiency |
| Cell-to-Pack (CTP) | BYD Blade, CATL CTP, Tesla 4680 packs | Removes module layer; higher density; lower cost per kWh | Harder to service/repair; requires precise manufacturing |
| Structural Packs | Tesla structural 4680, BYD CTB (cell-to-body) | Doubles as chassis component; weight and cost savings | Crash safety validation; limits pack swapping |
Battery Pack Components
Battery packs combine electrochemical cells with mechanical, electrical, and thermal subsystems to ensure reliable operation across vehicle lifetimes.
| Subsystem | Examples | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Structural Housing | Aluminum or composite casings, crash protection frames | Protects cells, integrates into chassis |
| Thermal System | Cooling plates, refrigerant loops, immersion cooling | Maintains safe temperature and fast charging capability |
| Electronics | BMS, BCUs, sensors, safety interlocks | Monitors pack performance and safety |
| Safety Systems | Fuses, contactors, fire-retardant coatings | Protects against overcurrent, thermal runaway |
Battery Pack Assembly
Pack assembly is increasingly integrated into gigafactories alongside cell production. This ensures quality control, reduces logistics costs, and allows automakers to customize packs to their vehicle platforms. Automated assembly lines handle welding, adhesive application, thermal system integration, and end-of-line testing.
| Region | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North America | Tesla (Texas), GM Ultium, Ford–SK, Panasonic | Pack assembly co-located with cell factories; IRA incentives |
| Europe | Northvolt Sweden, ACC France, VW Salzgitter | Strong pack R&D integration with vehicle plants |
| Asia | CATL, BYD, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI | Dominant in both cell and pack system integration |
Battery Gigafactories
Gigafactories represent multi-billion-dollar investments and are increasingly clustered near automaker hubs to secure supply, reduce logistics costs, and meet domestic content rules. Here is a list of all lithium cell factories in the U.S. This is a list of all lithium battery gigafactories in the U.S. and the major ones worldwide. A large gigafactory can consume 2.4 GWh of electricity and 1 million gallons of water daily.Battery factories assemble the individual battery cells into a functioning battery pack with a battery management system (BMS) and thermal management system (TMS) and enclosure. Some battery pack factories also produce cells onsite, often in a joint partnership with a cell manufacturer (like Panasonic for example).
Here are the top 10 largest battery gigafactories in the world:
1. 126 GWh: CATL Liyang Plant - Jiangsu, China
2. 120 GWh: CATL Ningde Plant - Fujian, China
3. 100 GWh: CATL Yibin Plant - Sichuan, China
4. 100 GWh: Tesla Sparks Gigafactory - Nevada, USA
5. 86 GWh: BlueOval Glendale - Kentucky, USA
6. 60 GWh: BYD Chongqing Plant - Chongqing, China
7. 50 GWh: Ultium Cells Spring Hill - Tennessee, USA
8. 43 GWh: BlueOval City Stanton - Tennessee, USA
9. 41 GWh: Ultium Cells Lansing - Michigan, USA
10. 41 GWh: Ultium Cells Warren - Ohio, USA
U.S. Battery Factories
The reshoring and building of a domestic lithium battery supply chain is in full swing in the U.S., with a bevy of new EV battery manufacturing plants and factories coming online by 2026.
The states with the most EV battery factories are Michigan, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia, which are known as the "Battery Belt".
| Battery Factory | Location | State | Production output |
|---|---|---|---|
| AA Portable Power | Richmond | CA | |
| AKASOL | Hazel Park | MI | 400 MWh/yr |
| Alion Science and Technology | Crane | IN | |
| AllCell Technology | Broadview | IL | |
| Altair Nanotechnologies | Anderson | IN | |
| American Battery Factory | American Fork | UT | 12 GWh/yr |
| American Battery Solutions | Springboro | OH | 2 MWh |
| American Lithium Energy | Carlsbad | CA | |
| Auto Motive Power | Santa Fe Springs | CA | |
| Battery Specialties | Costa Mesa | CA | |
| Blue Line Battery | Beloit | WI | |
| BMW Spartanburg Plant | Greer | SC | 22,500 units/yr |
| BorgWarner-Romeo Power | Vernon | CA | |
| Braille Battery | Sarasota | FL | |
| Cell-Con | Bedford | PA | |
| Clarios | Holland | MI | |
| Conamix | Ithaca | NY | |
| Coreshell Technologies | San Leandro | CA | |
| Cuberg | Emeryville | CA | |
| Custom Power | Fountain Valley | CA | |
| Dantona Industries | Wantagh | NY | |
| EaglePicher Technologies | Joplin | MO | |
| Electric Power Systems | North Logan | UT | |
| Electrochem Solutions | Raynham | MA | |
| EnerSys | Spokane Valley | WA | |
| EnerSys | Suwanee | GA | |
| Enovate Medical | Murfreesboro | TN | |
| eNow | Warwick | RI | |
| EnPower | Indianapolis | IN | 1 GWh/yr |
| Envia Systems | Newark | CA | 400 Wh/kg |
| Envision AESC Bowling Green Plant | Bowling Green | KY | 30 GWh/yr |
| Envision AESC Smyrna Plant | Smyrna | TN | |
| Exponential Power | Carol Stream | IL | |
| Exponential Power | Fort Wayne | IN | |
| Exponential Power | Rockwell | TX | |
| Factorial | Woborn | MA | |
| Flexodes | Sugar Land | TX | |
| Flux Power | Vista | CA | |
| Ford Rawsonville Plant | Ypsilanti | MI | |
| Ford-SK BlueOval | Glendale | KY | 86 GWh/yr |
| Ford-SK BlueOval City | Stanton | TN | 43 GWh/yr |
| General Motors Brownstown Battery | Brownstown Charter Twp | MI | |
| GM-LG Ultium Cells | Lansing | MI | |
| GM-LG Ultium Cells | Spring Hill | TN | |
| GM-LG Ultium Cells | Warren | OH | |
| GS Yuasa Lithium Power | Roswell | GA | |
| Highpower International | Montain View | CA | 850 Wh/yr |
| Honda Brownstone Battery | Brownstone Township | MI | |
| Hyundai-SK | Commerce | GA | |
| Inventus Power Woodridge Facility | Woodridge | IL | |
| Kore Power | Buckeye | AZ | 12 GWh/yr |
| LG Energy | Holland | MI | 5 GWh/yr |
| LG Energy | Queen Creek | AZ | 11 GWh/yr |
| Lithion Battery | Henderson | NV | |
| Lithion Battery | North Billerica | MA | |
| Lithion Battery | Round Rock | TX | |
| LytEn | San Jose | CA | |
| Magnis | Endicott | NY | 32 GWh/yr |
| Mercedes Battery Plant | Woodstock | AL | |
| Microvast | Clarksville | TN | 2 GWh |
| Navitas Systems | Ann Arbor | MI | |
| Octillion Power Systems | Richmond | CA | 4 GWh/yr |
| Our Next Energy | Torrance | CA | |
| Polyplus Battery | Berkeley | CA | 2,000 L/Yr |
| ProTechnologies | Pilot Mountain | NC | |
| Proterra | City of Industry | CA | |
| Proterra | City of Industry | CA | |
| Proterra | Greenville | NC | |
| Rivian | Atlanta | GA | 50 GWh/yr |
| Saft America | Valdese | NC | |
| Saft America | Valdosta | GA | |
| Samsung SDI | Auburn Hills | MI | |
| Simpliphi Power | Oxnard | CA | |
| Soelect, Inc. | Greensboro | NC | 1 GWh/yr |
| Sparkz Inc. | Livermore | CA | 1 GWh/yr |
| StateVolt | Imperial Valley | CA | |
| Statevolt | Los Angeles | CA | 54 GWh/yr |
| Stellantis-Samsung Kokomo Plant | Kokomo | IN | 23 GWh/yr |
| Tenergy Corp | Fremont | CA | |
| Tesla Gigafactory Texas | Austin | TX | 100 GWh/yr |
| Tesla Giga New York | Buffalo | NY | 2 GWh |
| Tesla Gigafactory 1 | Sparks | NV | 20 GWh |
| TNR Technical | Sanford | FL | |
| Toyota | Liberty | NC | |
| Trojan Battery | Santa Fe Springs | CA | |
| Wabtec | Pittsburgh | PA | |
| Xalt Energy | Midland | MI | 600 MWh/yr |
| Yotta Energy | Austin | TX | |
| Zakuro | Ann Arbor | MI | |
| Zeus Battery Products | Boomingdale | IL | |
| Zinc8 Energy | Ulster County | NY |
Battery factories worldwide
Here are some of the major EV battery factories worldwide, excluding China, which has the lion's share of battery factories.
| Factory/Gigafactory | Country | Production output |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Energy | Japan | |
| Blue Solutions Canada | Canada | |
| Britishvolt | Canada | 60 GWh/yr |
| CATL | Germany | |
| EaglePicher Technologies | Canada | |
| Eaton | ||
| Flex-N-Gate | ||
| LG Energy | Poland | |
| LG Energy | South Korea | |
| Lion Electric | Canada | 5 GWh/yr |
| Samsung SDI | Hungary | |
| Samsung SDI | Indonesia | |
| Stellantis-LG Windsor Gigafactory | Canada | 45 GWh/yr |
| Stryten Energy Ottowa Plant | Canada | |
| Toshiba 1 | Japan | |
| Toshiba 2 | Japan | |
| UgoWork | Canada |
Why They Matter
Battery packs determine not only vehicle range and performance but also crash safety, manufacturability, and serviceability. Innovations in pack architecture (CTP, structural integration) are becoming as strategic as cell chemistry itself. Control of pack gigafactories ensures automakers can deliver differentiated products and protect against supply shocks.
Supply Chain & Risks
Pack manufacturing depends on secure supply of casings, adhesives, thermal components, and electronics. Risks include shortages of aluminum for housings, specialty films and adhesives, and highly automated welding/assembly equipment. Structural packs raise new risks around repairability and crash validation. OEMs are localizing pack assembly near vehicle plants to mitigate logistics and trade risks.
Market Outlook & Adoption (Ranked)
| Rank | Pack Trend | Adoption Drivers | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cell-to-Pack (CTP) | Higher density, lower cost per kWh, simplified assembly | Serviceability challenges; precise QA required |
| 2 | Structural Packs | Weight reduction, integration into chassis, cost savings | Crash safety testing; limits on pack swapping/reuse |
| 3 | Module-Based Packs | Proven, serviceable, widely deployed | Lower volumetric efficiency; heavier design |
