BMW announced the development of its round cells in mid September and said the technology will offer more than 20% extra energy density, 30% more range,  charging times by 30%. It also said the cells would cost roughly half as much as existing battery formats without elaborating on how this could be achieved in one leap.

The company said at the time it would invest in €2 billion to make 20 GWh of cells in both China and in Europe with partners CATL and EVE energy, requiring those partners to make them using renewable energy. That, plus the use of recycled battery minerals would cut the cells’ emissions by 60%. BMW had said it was also seeking to produce the cells at two plants in the U.S. but it had not by then finalised any partnership for this.

The Woodruff site will span 1 million square feet and create around 300 new jobs as well as spawning the development of new supply networks in the region.