Hosted at the cutting-edge AESC Gigafactory in Douai, this exclusive event brought together leaders from across the battery, energy, and manufacturing sectors, including Envision Racing, Renault, and AESC – to explore the innovations and partnerships shaping Europe’s electrified future.
The day featured insightful panel discussions, an appearance by Envision Racing driver and former world champion, Sébastien Buemi, and a guided tour of one of Europe’s most advanced battery manufacturing facilities.
Scaling Europe’s battery ecosystem
Ayumi Kurose (AESC), Anne-Catherine Brieux (Ampere), and Bastian Moulia (Univers) discussed how Europe can scale its battery industry responsibly and competitively. Key themes included next generation gigafactories, sustainable supply chains, and policy enablers driving the battery revolution. Ayumi, who is the Project Director for AESC in Douai spoke on how the factory was a totally new challenge for him. The facility partners with Renault; AESC cells are used in the UK’s best selling EV, the Renault R5.
Building a resilient, low-carbon – circular – supply chain
Simon Price (CRU) and Ton de Weijer (Teijin) explored strategies for creating a circular, low-carbon battery supply chain. From sourcing and processing to recycling and design innovation, the session emphasised competitiveness and sustainability at every stage. Ton also spoke on Teijin’s partnership with Envision Racing, and how working in synergy with like-minded organisations can help both become frontrunners in their industries and shared missions, in this case: sustainability.
Driving the future – electrification in motion
Sébastien Buemi and Sylvain Filippi (Envision Racing) revealed how technology and data in Formula E are optimising energy use, extending battery life, and accelerating EV adoption – bridging industrial strategy with real-world impact. The complexities of Formula E racing and how it compares to other forms of motorsport were discussed, with Sébastien explaining how it is the most competitive championship he has raced in.
Sylvain shared the impressive growth of Formula E in such a short space of time, and how the innovation is only going to grow, with the new Gen4 car on the horizon.
A shared mission
Through collaboration, dialogue, and innovation, the Race Against Climate Change event showcased the pivotal role of industrial partnerships in building a cleaner, electrified future for Europe.
