Morocco hopes to bring a so-called 'gigafactory' for electric vehicle (EV) batteries to its country. The country is negotiating with several carmakers on this, Morocco's industry minister Ryad Mezzour told Reuters news agency.
It is unclear which parties Morocco is in talks with; the minister left this open. It is also unknown how much money is involved in building such a battery plant, and whether the Moroccan government is contributing to it.
Gigafactory
"We hope to sign a deal for the factory before the end of the year," the minister said in an interview with Reuters. Mezzour speaks specifically of a "gigafactory", a term usually used for very large production sites.
Morocco is an attractive location for such a factory, according to Mezzour. Partly because of the presence of renewable energy and raw materials such as cobalt and phosphate.
Produce million vehicles a year
The country bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean has long been home to factories of both Renault and Stellantis. The parties produce some 700,000 vehicles in the country on an annual basis. Citroën also operates in the country, producing about 50,000 vehicles in the country on an annual basis.
Mezzour hopes this number will increase significantly in the coming years. "We are aiming for 1 million within the next three to four years," the industry minister said.
The new factory should create great momentum for Morocco's local automotive sector. Cars and car parts have been Morocco's major exports for the past seven years.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Pixabay / Paul Brennan
