Bravo looks to build US$230mn lithium battery plant in northeast Brazil

Bravo Motor Company signed a protocol of intent with the Bahia government to invest 1.27bn reais (US$$230mn) to build a factory to manufacture lithium ion batteries and cells in the northeast Brazilian state. 

The company intends to build the factory in São Sebastião do Passé, Bahia’s economic development department (SDE) said in a statement. Dates were not provided.

According to Bravo’s CEO Eduardo Muñoz, the company selected Bahia due to the state government's stance on the green economy. 

“Our choice is due to a strategic geopolitical positioning, of having an industrial unit that manages a value chain from mining to the transformation of minerals into materials and consequently into batteries. So the choice, naturally for us, was Brazil due to the country's regional leadership, the size of its economy, which is the eighth in the world, and the size of its automotive and renewable energy sectors," said Muñoz.

"It was an almost natural choice. After choosing the country, the filter depended on a state that was truly committed to this economy, hence Bahia. With the arrival of [Chinese automaker] BYD and Bravo, others will come, that's a guarantee. We are forming a green economy hub in Latin America in the state.” 

In 2021, Bravo signed a protocol of intent to set up its factory in Minas Gerais state. However, in recent months, state governor Romeu Zema has criticized the electric vehicle industry, saying the segment promotes greenhouse emissions due to problems in disposing of lithium batteries.

Minas Gerais hosts a large unit of European automaker Stellantis.