Porsche AG has acquired a majority stake in V4Drive GmbH from VARTA AG. In the future, the company will operate under the name “V4Smart”. VARTA will remain a minority shareholder, but will no longer exercise any operational influence. With the change of name, Porsche underlines the planned expansion of the cellsʼ application range beyond the automotive sector. The aim is to open up new customer groups for the cylindrical lithium-ion cells.
Expansion of battery production
V4Smart currently produces cylindrical lithium-ion cells for use as booster cells in the Porsche 911 GTS. So far, the cells have been manufactured at the companyʼs Ellwangen site. Starting in April 2025, additional production will take place at the Nördlingen plant. Porsche Werkzeugbau GmbH is responsible for setting up the production lines and will be supported by other equipment manufacturers. The company plans to employ approximately 375 people at both sites by the end of 2025, including numerous employees taken over from VARTA Group.
Plans for acquisition of stake in VARTA
In addition to the acquisition of V4Smart, Porsche has also announced its intention to acquire a direct stake in VARTA. With this step, the car manufacturer wants to support the restructuring process of the VARTA Group. The transaction has not yet been completed.
