Sino-Moroccan joint venture COBCO has commenced production of lithium-ion battery materials at its new plant in Jorf Lasfar, roughly 125 kilometers south of Casablanca. The company, formed through a partnership between Moroccan investment fund Al Mada and China’s CNGR Advanced Materials, will initially focus on manufacturing nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) precursors and precursor cathode active materials (pCAM).
According to a company statement, these components will be derived from nickel, cobalt and manganese feedstocks. COBCO plans to scale the facility to reach an annual output of 120,000 tonnes of NMC precursors and, eventually, 60,000 tonnes of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathodes. The LFP line will be activated once a regional LFP battery ecosystem is established.
The $2 billion plant is designed to achieve a total annual capacity equivalent to 70 gigawatt-hours, which industry sources say could supply battery packs for about one million electric vehicles. The project underlines Morocco’s strategic bid to become a hub for the EV battery supply chain, leveraging its proximity to European auto markets, existing free-trade agreements and abundant phosphate and cobalt resources.
COBCO’s production launch follows announcements by other Chinese battery firms investing in Morocco. Gotion High-Tech is building Africa’s first gigafactory with a planned $6.5 billion investment and production slated for late 2026. Hailiang and Shinzoom are developing copper and anode plants near Tangier, while BTR New Material Group has announced plans for a cathode materials plant in the same region.
Morocco’s automotive sector already hosts major assemblers such as Stellantis and Renault. In 2024, vehicle exports rose by 6.3% to a record 157 billion dirhams ($17 billion), according to official data, as the country adapts its industry to the growing electric vehicle market.
Source: Reuters
