Seat & Cupra has started operations at its new battery system assembly plant at the Martorell factory in Spain, a key step as the Volkswagen Group ramps up local EV production from 2026.
The €300 million (RM1.4bil) facility, built in just over two years, is designed to assemble a complete battery system every 45 seconds.
That equates to around 1,200 battery systems a day, or up to 300,000 a year. From 2026, the output is set to feed two models built at Martorell: the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polo.
At the opening ceremony, Seat & Cupra said the plant is part of the group’s broader battery strategy, which balances in-house and third-party cell supply to keep flexibility on technology and supply chains.
Seat & Cupra said the battery systems would be moved automatically to the vehicle assembly workshop via a 600-metre bridge.
The plant also has 11,000 roof-mounted solar panels, which the company says will supply about 70% of the electricity required for the battery assembly process, plus a rainwater collection set-up with capacity equivalent to three Olympic swimming pools.
The Martorell site forms part of a wider push: Seat & Cupra said the Volkswagen Group and partners have committed €10 billion (RM48bil) in Spain, with €3 billion (RM14.4bil) directed at electrifying Martorell.
The factory is positioned as a flexible hub that can build EVs, hybrids and efficient combustion models, with an eventual capacity target of 600,000 vehicles a year, including up to 300,000 BEVs.
Cupra said the Raval, due to debut globally in Barcelona in March 2026, would be the first of the group’s “Electric Urban Car” family to reach the market.
