LEAD & Tiamat Forge Alliance to Propel Sodium-Ion Battery Innovation in Europe

Lead Intelligent Equipment (LEAD), a global maker of new energy manufacturing equipment, has joined forces with Tiamat, a spin-off from the French research institute CNRS, to drive advancements in sodium-ion battery technology. Tiamat, known for introducing the world's first sodium-ion battery, aims to reshape the landscape of automotive and energy storage sectors through large-scale production.

The collaborative effort envisions the construction of a 5GWh gigafactory in Amiens, France by 2030, with initial construction set to commence in Q1 2024 for the 0.7 GWh unit.

Large-scale sodium-ion battery production

LEAD's expertise is expected to play a pivotal role in facilitating a swift and effective transition to large-scale production. This strategic partnership not only strengthens LEAD's foothold in France but also underscores its commitment to global leadership in providing cutting-edge clean energy solutions.

Backed by an investment exceeding €500 million, this ambitious project is anticipated to create over 1,200 jobs, offering a significant boost to the region's economic development.

Hervé Beuffe, CEO of Tiamat, expressed satisfaction, stating, “We are thrilled to embark on the industrial phase of this project, thanks to the continued support from our historical investors and new partners. This enables us to produce and market our technology locally, addressing sovereignty and material availability concerns associated with conventional energy storage technologies.”

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Nicolas Sebban, Deputy GM of LEAD France, stated that the partnership with Tiamat “underscores our commitment to advancing global clean energy solutions. Collaborating with Tiamat, we eagerly anticipate leading the sodium-ion battery revolution and contributing significantly to the sustainable future we envision.”

Reshaping clean energy in Europe

The LEAD and Tiamat partnership expects to reshape the clean energy landscape in Europe, propelling sodium-ion battery technology to unprecedented heights. With the gigafactory construction set to commence and the first units scheduled to roll out in Q4 2025, this collaboration is expected to have a lasting impact on the future of energy storage and electrification across the European continent.

Established in 2002, Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. (LEAD) is one of the world’s largest suppliers of new energy manufacturing equipment. Tiamat, founded in 2017 as a spin-off from CNRS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique) in Amiens, France, is a pioneering start-up specializing in the design, development, industrialization, and sale of sodium-ion batteries.

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