Morocco is a new playground for the Chinese auto industry

Morocco seeks to produce 700,000 cars this year and up to 1.4 million cars within four years, according to a statement by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ryad Mezzour.

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Electric cars are also becoming increasingly important. This year, around 40,000 electric Citroëns will be produced in Kenitra. Mezzour announced that Morocco wants to double its production next year to 100,000. Renault, the first carmaker to establish itself in Morocco in 2012, produced its first hybrid vehicle, the Dacia Jogger, on July 11. Around 200 of the model will be made each day. Peugeot, now Stellantis, has a factory in Kenitra. In total, around 250 European and Asian companies produce cars or spare parts in Morocco.

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Although the Moroccan car industry is dominated by French companies, battery production is being developed by Chinese companies. Six Chinese giants in the field of batteries and other components for electric cars, such as copper cathodes, plan to invest around 10 billion euros in Morocco in the coming years, according to El Confidencial. These are BTR New Material, Tinci, Shinzoom, Hailiang, Gotion High-Tech and CNGR Advanced Material. Gotion High-Tech signed a letter of intent last year to build a lithium iron phosphate battery plant. The project is expected to cost more than 1.2 billion euros.