Weeks after battery developer Gotion-High Tech acquired a 25% stake in startup InoBat, the two companies have signed an agreement to erect a gigafactory in Europe. As a Tier 1 battery supplier to its top shareholder Volkswagen Group, Gotion will look to InoBat to help it provide the German automaker and other marques with EV batteries… but where will the joint venture set up shop?
Gotion High-Tech Co., Ltd. specializes in battery R&D and energy solutions that is headquartered in China, but continues to expand production to new territories all over the world. For example, the company is in the process of expanding to Vietnam via a joint venture with VinES – the energy division of VinFast.
Earlier this week, Gotion rolled a battery off an assembly line in the university town of Göttingen, Germany – its first product assembled in Europe. That milestone was joined by news of several new customer contracts in Europe, including BASF, ABB, and Ebusco.
On September 1, Gotion High-Tech announced it had purchased a 25% stake in the Slovak EV battery startup InoBat – the first investment in a European startup by any Chinese battery maker. The investment builds off of previous plans to explore joint ventures in EV battery and energy storage development.
At the time Gotion said it would provide InoBat with raw materials plus share its R&D, cell production, and battery recycling know-how to help expedite the former’s technology into mass production.
Today, we’ve learned the two companies have signed on for a potential joint venture that will expand EV battery production in Europe to support local automaker’s like Gotion’s partial owner VW Group and beyond.
Credit: InoBat
Gotion and InoBat look to establish plant in middle Europe
InoBat shared details of its collaboration with Gotion High-Tech today, which includes a signed pre-joint venture agreement to erect a new gigafactory in Europe. The future Gotion InoBat Battery (GIB) gigafactory is expected to begin operations with a capacity of 20 GWh and create thousands of local jobs. Where those jobs will be stationed however, is less clear at this time.
InoBat CEO Marián Boček explained that both partners are considering a number of options in Europe and have it narrowed down to the “Middle-European region.” Boček also said the joint venture is seeking state support from both a financial and permitting standpoint. He went on:
Europe has great potential, strategic location and a long tradition in the automotive industry,. InoBat has proven that in a relatively short time it can choose a suitable location, successfully manage the permitting process and complete the construction of such an extremely complex technology as a battery factory. Our R&D centre and pilot line in Voderady are progressing and the technology is already working there.
As part of Volkswagen Group’s 24.77% ownership of Gotion High-Tech, the latter has an exclusive contract to supply the former with EV batteries outside of China. The new partners explained that localizing battery production in Europe will reduce the need for long-distance transport, thus reducing emissions and strengthening competitiveness locally.
Gotion and InoBat state that construction in Europe is scheduled to begin in 2024 with a full launch in 2026. While the initial footprint should deliver a 20 GWh capacity, the partners state the future gigafactory could expand to nearly 250 acres, creating thousands more jobs.
When complete, the central Europe gigafactory will join Gotion’s other two plants in the works – a $2.36 million facility in Michigan and a $2 billion plant in Illinois announced last week.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) speaks to reporters outside the Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on Oct. 1, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
Democratic senators on Monday blamed the White House push to fast track artificial intelligence data centers and its attacks on renewable energy for rising electricity prices in certain parts of the U.S.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and others demanded that the White House and Commerce Department detail what actions they have taken to shield consumers from the impact of massive data centers in a letter sent Monday.
Voters are increasingly feeling the pinch of rising electricity prices. Democrats Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger campaigned on the issue in the New Jersey and Virgina governors’ races, which they won in landslides last week.
The senators took aim at the White House’s relationship with companies like Meta, Alphabet, Oracle, and OpenAI, and the support the administration has shown for the companies’ data center plans.
The Trump administration “has already failed to prevent those new data centers from driving up electricity prices from a surge of new commercial demand,” the senators wrote. They accused the White House of making the problem worse by opposing the expansion of solar and wind power.
The White House blamed the Biden administration and its renewable energy policies for driving up electricity prices in a statement.
President Donald Trump “declared an energy emergency to reverse four years of Biden’s disastrous policies, accelerate large-scale grid infrastructure projects, and expedite the expansion of coal, natural gas, and nuclear power generation,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said.
The tech sector’s AI plans have ballooned in size. OpenAI and Nvidia, for example, struck a deal in September to build 10 gigawatts of data centers to train and run AI applications. This is equivalent to New York City’s peak baseline summer demand in 2024.
The scale of these plans have raised questions about whether enough power is available to meet the demand and who will pay for the new generation that is needed. Renewable energy, particularly solar and energy storage, is the power source that can be deployed the quickest right now to meet demand.
Retail electricity prices in the U.S. increased about 6% on average through August 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to the Energy Information Administration. Prices, however, can vary widely by region.
Germany is about to become home to Europe’s largest battery storage system – a massive 1 gigawatt (GW) / 4 gigawatt-hour (GWh) project in Jänschwalde, Brandenburg.
LEAG Clean Power GmbH and Fluence Energy GmbH, a subsidiary of US-based Fluence Energy (NASDAQ: FLNC), are teaming up to build the “GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000.” The four-hour system will use Fluence’s Smartstack technology, its latest large-scale energy storage solution.
Once complete, Europe’s largest battery storage project will play a key role in stabilizing Germany’s grid and storing renewable power for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. It’s designed to deliver essential grid services, support energy trading, and boost energy security as the country phases out fossil fuels.
LEAG’s broader “GigawattFactory” plan combines solar and wind farms with flexible power plants and large-scale batteries across Germany’s Lusatian energy region. “By constructing gigascale storage facilities, we’re addressing one of the biggest challenges of the energy transition: ensuring constant power regardless of the availability of renewable energies,” said Adi Roesch, CEO of the LEAG Group.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Fluence CEO Julian Nebreda described the project as a “milestone for the energy future of Germany and Europe,” adding that it demonstrates how collaboration and cutting-edge technology can “transform the foundation of our economy and our everyday lives.”
The German government recently reaffirmed the importance of storage in building a secure and affordable clean power system. With this 4 GWh giant, LEAG and Fluence are implementing that priority in one of Europe’s most coal-heavy regions.
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
The GV90 will be the brand’s largest, most luxurious SUV yet. With its official debut coming up, a production version of the Genesis GV90 was spotted in public for the first time, offering a closer look at the stunning SUV.
The Genesis GV90 is a stunning flagship SUV
Genesis vehicles already have a unique design that’s hard to miss. The big Creste Grille, Two-Line Quad Lamps, and smooth character lines offer a refined, luxurious look, but Genesis is planning to take it to the next level with the GV90.
The GV90 is an “ultra-luxe, state-of-the-art SUV,” according to Genesis. It will be the luxury brand’s new flagship vehicle and first full-size electric SUV.
We got our first look at the flagship SUV last March after Genesis unveiled the Neolun concept at the New York Auto Show.
Advertisement – scroll for more content
The GV90 has been spotted out in public several times now, even flashing high-end features like coach doors and adaptive air suspension, but now, we are finally getting our first look at the production version in real life.
Genesis Neolun ultra-luxury electric SUV concept (Source: Genesis)
A new video from HealerTV shows the production version of the Genesis GV90 in action. Although it’s still covered in camo, you can see a few slight design changes from the concept shown last year.
The headlights and grille appear closer in design to its current vehicles, but other than that, the GV90 looks essentially the same up front as the Neolun concept.
Since it’s still covered, it’s hard to see where the headlights are connected at this point. From the side and rear, the GV90 looks identical to the concept.
Genesis has yet to announce an official launch date, but the GV90 could debut by the end of the year with sales expected to kick off in mid-2026.
Genesis Neolum electric SUV concept interior (Source: Hyundai Motor)
The flagship SUV is rumoured to be the first vehicle to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which it claims will “provide 50% improvement in driving range” compared to its current EVs. It will also serve as a tech beacon, featuring Hyundai’s most advanced connectivity and safety tech.
We will learn official prices and final specs soon, but one thing is for sure: it won’t be cheap. The Genesis GV90 is expected to start at around $100,000, but higher trims could cost significantly more with added features and options.
Genesis is also introducing its first hybrid, the GV80, next year, followed by its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) based on the GV70. The EREV is expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027. There’s also an off-road SUV in the works, which will likely arrive as a 2027 model.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.