The auto battery parts joint venture between Volkswagen's PowerCo and Belgian materials firm Umicore has chosen Poland as the site for its first factory, the German automaker announced on 7 October, according to Reuters.
Through the R56 billion joint venture, dubbed Ionway, first flagged in December 2021, the companies are joining a number of European automakers that have brought battery supplies closer to home in the shift towards electric vehicles.
The Polish government is providing R99 billion in cash grants for the investment in the southwestern town of Nysa that will create around 900 jobs, it said.
Ionway wants to build up its annual production capacity by the end of the decade to around 160 gigawatt hours (GWh) a year – enough for 2.2 million electric vehicles.
PowerCo – whose Poland initiative comes after VW set out plans in April to invest up to R99 billion to build a car battery plant in Ontario, Canada – said it had decided on Poland because the location was strategically favourable, plus there was sufficient skilled labour and renewable energy sources for production.
Construction work will begin as soon as the permitting process is completed, it said.
Ionway is intended to supply PowerCo's European battery cell factories with key battery materials and to cover a large portion of PowerCo's needs in the European Union. In return, Umicore will receive secured access to an important part of Europe's demand for cathode materials for electric vehicles.
Dunlop Tyres South Africa has completed a R1.7 billion investment programme at its uMnambithi (Ladysmith) manufacturing facility, introducing new manufacturing technology and expanding production capabilities at the plant.
Mahindra & Mahindra has unveiled the Scorpio Lifestyler, a midsize lifestyle bakkie derived from the Global Pik Up concept first shown in Cape Town in 2023.
The South African automotive industry has gained some breathing space following the latest move by the United States Senate to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, to the end of 2028.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
Electric vehicles (EVs) have introduced a whole new vocabulary into motoring. Instead of simply talking about litres of fuel, cylinders and kilometres per tank, motorists are now confronted with kW, kWh, AC, DC, WLTP, regenerative braking and a host of other terms.
Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE), which is building a national network of off grid, ultra-fast EV charging stations powered by renewable energy, has welcomed the latest new energy vehicle (NEV) sales figures, saying they confirm a trend it has tracked for several years.
South Africa's transition towards electrified mobility continued to gain momentum during June 2026, with 3 045 new energy vehicles (NEVs) sold, representing a 104.2% increase compared to the 1 491 units recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
