At first glance, building an electric car might seem like a simple swap—remove the engine and fuel tank, insert a battery and motor, and the job’s done. In reality, EV production is reshaping the entire car industry, from design and assembly to energy use in factories.

Some manufacturers, such as Volvo and BMW, still build electric and combustion models on the same production lines. But as demand for EVs grows, carmakers are rapidly rethinking how these vehicles are designed and produced.

How Are Electric Car Batteries Made?

Today’s EVs often feature 100kWh batteries, with real-world ranges of 700–750 km. While they use the same basic lithium-ion chemistry as early EVs (and even your laptop or phone), they’re vastly more durable, efficient, and carefully managed by sophisticated onboard electronics.

One of the biggest shifts is where batteries are built. In the past, suppliers such as Panasonic or LG Chem manufactured batteries and shipped them to car plants. Now, manufacturers are co-locating battery production alongside vehicle factories, giving them tighter control over design, quality, and costs.

The EV Production Process

The shift to electric changes how cars themselves are made. BMW’s historic Munich plant, once dedicated to petrol engines, is transforming for its new all-electric Neue Klasse models, due in 2027.

Peter Weber, Plant Director, explains:

“With the Neue Klasse, we will significantly reduce manufacturing costs at the Munich Plant… Focusing on a single drive train variant reduces production steps and the number of parts – for example, wiring harnesses, which previously varied according to engine type and can be complex to install.”

Streamlined production, fewer components, and optimised automation all make manufacturing more efficient. Combined with new sixth-generation batteries that are cheaper, more efficient, and offer 30% more range, costs should fall further—helping bring EV prices down.

Tackling the Carbon Impact

Producing an EV requires more energy than building a petrol or diesel car, which is why studies estimate that it can take over 50,000 km of driving before an EV offsets its manufacturing carbon footprint.

But this figure can change dramatically depending on factory energy sources. Volkswagen, for example, is pushing towards carbon-neutral EV production, ensuring that when cars leave the factory, they carry little or no “carbon debt.”

Andreas Walingen, CSO at Volkswagen Passenger Cars, explains:

“Through the large-scale development of European wind and solar farms, we intend to support our customers in the region in their efforts to always use their ID. vehicles in a net carbon-neutral way. This shows that our commitment to sustainability goes far beyond the electrification of vehicles.”

By powering both factories and charging infrastructure with renewables, manufacturers can cut the overall lifecycle emissions of EVs and accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility.

The Future of EV Production: Gigacasting and Advanced Manufacturing

Electric cars are not just changing how we drive—they’re changing how cars are built. Around the world, manufacturers are rethinking the very structure of vehicles, and one of the biggest shifts on the horizon is gigacasting.

What Is Gigacasting?

At its core, gigacasting is about making cars with fewer parts. Instead of hundreds of individual metal stampings welded together, a massive press pours molten aluminium into moulds to create large structural sections of the car—such as the front, rear, or centre.

The benefits are clear:

• Fewer parts mean lower production costs

• Simpler assembly results in faster manufacturing

• Less energy is required, reducing carbon footprint

Toyota, for instance, has developed a new “Gigapress” system. Traditionally, building one section of a car platform required 86 parts, 33 processes, and several hours. The Gigapress can do the same job in just three minutes.

This shift is not just about efficiency—it’s reshaping how factories operate. Instead of cars moving along conveyor belts, Toyota envisions EVs using their own motors, or being pulled by autonomous towing rigs, streamlining production even further.

Solid-State Batteries: The Next Leap

Alongside structural changes, battery technology is also on the brink of transformation. Toyota has been working on solid-state batteries, which replace the liquid electrolyte in today’s lithium-ion cells with a ceramic-style solid material.

Why Solid-State Batteries Matter:

• Faster charging: Prototype tests suggest full recharges in as little as 15 minutes.

• Longer lifespan: Toyota claims up to 90% efficiency for 30 years.

• Safer and lighter: Reduced fire risk and the potential for smaller, lighter battery packs.

Initially, these batteries will be costly, likely appearing first in high-end models. Toyota may even subsidise early vehicles—much as it did with the first Prius in the 1990s—to accelerate adoption.

For now, mass production is challenging. Solid-state cells must be made in ultra-dry, controlled environments, with technicians working in protective gear. But if Toyota and others can scale up, the impact on EV usability could be revolutionary.

The Road Ahead

Right now, most electric cars look and feel much like their combustion-engine counterparts. But with gigacasting reducing complexity, and solid-state batteries revolutionising energy storage, the cars of the near future could look—and be built—very differently.

The evolution of EVs is still in its early stages. What we see on the road today may only be the beginning of a much bigger transformation.