Ampere has partnered with four major battery suppliers to create a supply chain for Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) systems for Renault’s electric vehicles (EVs).
Working with its suppliers CATL and LG Energy Solution (LGES), Ampere is currently setting up an integrated value chain on the European continent for LFP battery cells. The two partners will provide Ampere with LFP batteries that will equip several models of Renault and Alpine brands and cover the battery needs for this technology until 2030.
As part of this, Ampere is leading the development of Cell-to-Pack (CTP) technology in a world-first for pouch-type batteries. The technology will improve the range of vehicles by integrating more cells, and therefore more on-board energy, in a given space. CTP technology also helps reduce battery costs. Integrating LFP and CTP technologies will enable Ampere to reduce the cost of batteries in its vehicles by around 20% from the beginning of 2026.
Thanks to progress made in LFP technology in recent years and the development of the value chain in Europe, the technology is now a real alternative to Nickel Cobalt Manganese (NCM). Less energy-intensive than NCM, LFP is ideally suited to certain applications such as small and mid-size cars. The technology is also less expensive than NCM, playing an important part in the equation for affordable EVs and their democratisation in Europe.
“In a fast-changing and competitive environment, our battery strategy is proof of the efficiency of Ampere’s open and horizontal approach with best-in-class partners, ensuring smart capital allocation, flexibility and rapid execution,” said Josep Maria Recasens, COO of Ampere. “This plan is in line with Ampere roadmap to reduce costs by 40% before the next generation of vehicles.”
France-based AESC and Verkor will supply NCM batteries for the partnership. While LGES will supply both NCM and LFP batteries from its plant in Poland. The batteries will then be assembled at Ampere ElectriCity and in the assembly battery shop of Douai Manufacture, with the deals helping to avoid tariffs on imported battery cells and packs.
“The work we’ve done with LG Energy Solution has enabled us to localise the entire value chain around LFP technology in Europe, and significantly increase its competitiveness, including with CTP,” added Philippe Brunet, SVP Powertrain and EV Engineering at Ampere. “Innovation in batteries is ongoing, and we are working far upstream – in particular with our Innovation Battery Cell Laboratory to open in Lardy in 2025 – to engage our partners early on with us, on the major transformations to come.”
