CATL, the world's largest battery maker, is in the final stages of vetting sites in the U.S. to build electric vehicle batteries, an investment that would mark the Chinese company's first production in the world's second-largest car market, two people with knowledge of the plans told Reuters.
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL) is in talks to open plants that would serve BMW and Ford Motor Co. Potential sites include South Carolina and Kentucky, where those automakers have assembly plants, according to the two people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are ongoing and private.
In the case of the potential South Carolina plant, the goal would be for battery production to begin in 2026, one of the sources said. BMW is already a customer of CATL.
CATL, whose other customers include Tesla Inc. and Volkswagen Group, declined to comment.
Chairman Zeng Yuqun said on Thursday the company was exploring possibilities to localize production for overseas automakers in their countries.