Stellantis‑CATL battery plant in Spain to receive up to 1,700 Chinese workers

Stellantis and Chinese battery maker CATL are building a joint‑venture battery factory near Zaragoza in Spain's Aragon region. The venture, Contemporary Star Energy, has a €4.1 billion investment and will produce lithium‑iron‑phosphate (LFP) cells, with initial output slated for early 2027.

To launch the plant, the partners will bring as many as 1,700 Chinese technicians and engineers to Spain for the construction and commissioning phase. The temporary workforce will handle line calibration, equipment start‑up and the transfer of production expertise. After the plant is operational, the plan is to employ roughly 4,000 local workers, with many Spanish staff receiving training at CATL facilities in China.

The project includes provisions for visas, work permits and on‑site accommodation for the Chinese staff. Regional authorities, led by Aragon president Jorge Azcón, anticipate the plant will boost regional employment and strengthen Europe's battery supply chain.

The factory will focus on LFP chemistry, which offers lower cost and greater stability compared with higher‑energy chemistries, aligning with Stellantis’s goal of greater European battery independence.