Taycan

Make
Porsche
Segment
Sedan

To drive the EV industry forward, car companies are investing in new technologies to improve current battery technology. As part of a $130 million investment, Ford is partnering with Solid Power to develop solid-state batteries for its next-generation electric cars. Now, Porsche is partnering with a new company called Customcells to develop its own high-performance battery cells for future Porsche EVs at a new production facility called the Weissach Development Center in Tubingen, Germany.

Porsche will have a majority stake of 83.75 percent and has invested a "high double-digit million amount" in the joint venture. The project is also being partially funded by the Federal Republic of Germany and the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, with a contribution of around €60 million ($71 million).

The plant will have a minimum annual capacity of 100 MWh - the equivalent to high-performance batteries for 1,000 vehicles. "The battery cell is the combustion chamber of the future. As a new Porsche subsidiary, the Cellforce Group will be instrumental in driving forward the research, development, production and sale of high-performance battery cells," said Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche.

"This joint venture allows us to position ourselves at the forefront of global competition in developing the most powerful battery cell and make it the link between the unmistakable Porsche driving experience and sustainability. This is how we shape the future of the sports car."

The batteries produced at the new facility will use silicon anodes, allowing for improved performance and faster charge times. Speaking with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume revealed the new cells can be charged in less than 15 minutes. For comparison, it takes 22.5 minutes to charge the battery in the Porsche Taycan from five percent to 80 percent.

They can also withstand high temperatures, which Porsche says makes the batteries suitable for use in motorsport. Initially, the new high-performance battery cells will be tested in future electric Porsche race cars before being applied to road cars. Small-scale production of Porsche's next-generation battery cells is slated to start in 2024. After increasing its stake in Rimac, this latest move will help Porsche lead the race to build better battery technology.