Fire at Tesla battery supplier factory – report
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The company that supplies batteries to some of the biggest car makers in the world – including Tesla – has reported a fire at a plant in China.
A fire has broken out at a Chinese factory owned by the world’s largest electric vehicle battery supplier, CATL.
While no injuries have been reported, CATL says a “relatively small” number of products were affected by the blaze – though impacts to its production line are expected to be limited, according to news outlet Reuters.
With almost 50 per cent of the global market share – and Tesla as its biggest client – CATL also supplies electric vehicle batteries to BMW,Mercedes-Benz,Hyundai,Honda,Toyota,Volkswagen, and Volvo, as well as several Chinese car makers.
The company says the fire – located at its plant in the Fujian province – was extinguished relatively quickly, with the cause under investigation.
In June 2024, a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea claimed the lives of 23 workers and injured eight more – many of whom were Chinese nationals, Reuters reported.
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The South Korean fire occurred after a series of battery cells exploded inside the warehouse, which contained an estimated 35,000 batteries.
Police claim the deadly fire was caused by a lack of quality control as workers rushed to fulfil orders.
According to CATL officials, the latest incident in China was brought under control quickly thanks to the facility’s fire monitoring system.
The 15,000m2 plant is only four years old and is considered an ‘Industry 4.0’ smart factory, which means it is largely automated – reducing the risk to human life – while also incorporating connected and artificial intelligence technologies.
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