SEAT & CUPRA has begun series production of battery systems at its Martorell plant in Spain. The batteries will power the CUPRA Raval and the Volkswagen ID.Polo, both scheduled for production at the facility. The milestone follows the plant’s inauguration in December and brings the company closer to launching its first fully electric vehicle this summer.
Highlights
- Battery assembly at scale: The Martorell plant can produce 1,200 battery systems per day and up to 300,000 per year, equivalent to one unit every 45 seconds.
- Unified Cell platform: The systems use the Volkswagen Group’s Unified Cell, a standardized battery technology designed for use across brands, regions, and vehicle segments.
- Rapid facility buildout: SEAT & CUPRA constructed the 64,000 m² assembly plant in under two years, supported by 500 trained employees.
- On-site solar generation: The plant’s 11,000 rooftop solar panels supply approximately 70% of the electricity needed for assembly operations.
Unified Cell Technology
The battery systems assembled in Martorell are built on the Volkswagen Group’s Unified Cell platform. This standardized cell format is designed for scalability across multiple brands and vehicle types. Each battery system combines the cells, which handle core energy storage, with electronic components that manage the system’s operation.
The E Box, the battery’s central control unit, is produced at SEAT & CUPRA’s El Prat Components facility. That site transitioned to EV component production after 45 years of manufacturing manual gearboxes.
Assembly Process and Capacity
Production begins in the logistics warehouse, where components are supplied to the assembly line. Two parallel operations run simultaneously: pre-assembly of electrical components and stacking of battery cells across two lines using cell-to-pack technology.
The stacking lines are expected to produce 3,600 stacks per day through nearly half a million welding points. After assembly and sealing, each battery system undergoes final quality checks. Completed units are then transported via a 600-meter bridge directly to the Raval and ID.Polo production line.
Markus Haupt, CEO of SEAT & CUPRA, said: “The start of production of series assembly battery systems marks a decisive milestone in the final stretch of the transformation of our company and takes us closer to the series production of the CUPRA Raval. With the beginning of electric‑vehicle production, Martorell will strengthen its position as a fully flexible plant, ready to lead Spain’s transition to electric mobility by producing electric, hybrid, and highly efficient combustion models.”
Broader Investment in Electrification
SEAT & CUPRA is part of the Volkswagen Group’s Brand Group Core. The company has invested €10 billion (approximately $11.6 billion USD) into Spain’s electrification through its Future: Fast Forward initiative, in collaboration with the Volkswagen Group, PowerCo, and other partners.
André Kleb, Chief Production Officer (CPO) for the Iberian Peninsula at Brand Group Core, said: “As part of the Brand Group Core of the Volkswagen Group, the Iberian Peninsula is strengthening its position as a European hub for electromobility. Through the Electric Urban Car Family project, we will manufacture four electric models in Spain, starting with the CUPRA Raval, making electric mobility accessible from the Iberian Peninsula to customers across Europe.”
The CUPRA Raval will be the first fully electric vehicle produced in Martorell. In addition to the Raval, the company plans to produce a total of four electric models in Spain as part of the Electric Urban Car Family project under the Volkswagen Group’s Brand Group Core.
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