István Joó outlined the country’s ambition to lead Europe in registered patents in the battery sector and said efforts are underway to position Hungary as a top European center for battery industry-related higher education and vocational training. He added that Hungary also aims to become a hub for business service centers in the battery industry.
Hungary is committed to maintaining its position among the top five global players in battery production through the decade, Joo said. He added that the country is working to create a “complete ecosystem” for battery manufacturing with a comprehensive supplier network.
Hungary encourages new partners to bring high-value-added activities to the country and persuades companies already present to shift toward R&D activities and university collaborations, Joó said.
Joo noted that lithium-ion batteries were Hungary’s most significant export product in 2023, accounting for 6.4% of the total. Since 2016, Hipa has supported battery manufacturing investments with a combined value of around EUR 24 billion that are expected to create almost 33,000 jobs, he said.
In addition to Samsung SDI’s plants on the outskirts of Budapest and SK On group’s facilities in Komárom and Ivancsa, Chinese battery maker CATL will soon start production at its base in Debrecen, while projects by EVE Power in Debrecen and Sunwoda in Nyiregyhaza are progressing well, he added.
Joó said China was “at the heart” of the electrification revolution, noting that six of the world’s 10 largest battery makers, which hold a 95% market share, are Chinese, with the remainder including three South Korean and one Japanese company.
“It is clear that the East has taken over the industry on a global scale,” he said.
Joó added that the government’s Eastern Opening policy had helped make Hungary a “meeting point” between East and West, facilitating cooperation between major German carmakers and Asian new energy suppliers. He said the strategy of connectivity, demonstrating a policy of economic neutrality, provided opportunities for partnerships between Eastern and Western companies.
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