What will happen at VDL Nedcar in Limburg?

Update on VDL Nedcar

Anyone visiting VDL Nedcar’ s website will come across very little information.
There simply isn’t much to report yet either.
However, there is a short statement.
“With the absence of new vehicle projects for the time being, after nearly 1.2 million cars produced in Born since 2014, independent car building at VDL Nedcar is coming to an end.”

“With the start of activities of VDL Special Vehicles and the VDL Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC) in Born – the (re)construction of special vehicles and the assembly of battery packs – the first contours of our pursuit of greater independence from market and geopolitical developments on the one hand and a more powerful earnings model on the other have begun.”

Okay, so VDL Nedcar is betting on two components: VDL Special Vehicles and the VDL Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC).
What do these two components entail?

VDL Special Vehicles

VDL Special Vehicles specializes in vehicle conversion, bodywork and modifications.
The goal is to develop various hydrogen and battery-electric solutions for medium and heavy road vehicles such as buses and trucks.
The engineering team of this business unit is able to integrate these and other solutions into existing third-party vehicles.
Examples include construction, agricultural, port or airport equipment.

“As a contract manufacturer, we provide production capacity for small to medium series (parts of) zero-emission vehicles. In addition, we can also support in the area of product development, prototyping and certification of zero-emission powertrains, up to the complete development of an alternative powertrain,” the statement said.

VDL Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC)

The VDL Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC) is perhaps even more interesting.
In fact, a special, new production facility has been set up in Born – on the same site as VDL Nedcar – for battery assembly.
The complex amounts to 30,000 m².
This is the largest battery production facility in the Netherlands.
But why an MIC?
On July 18, 2024 VDL released the video below in which you get a good idea of the new MIC.

Sustainable mobility solutions

“Electric driving is the future. As an innovative partner, we offer industrialization and manufacturing solutions for (e-)mobility in the Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC). Whether it’s developments in electric vehicle batteries, collaborating with forward-thinking OEMs in the assembly of e-mobility, or jointly creating innovative mobility concepts in the areas of design, connectivity, autonomous driving and services. We do it all. The MIC brings these various sustainable mobility solutions together and thrives on partnerships.”

The VDL Mobility Innovation Centre (MIC) in Born is a new company within the VDL Groep.
Together with partners, MIC will develop activities that align with VDL Groep’s broad mobility strategy: design, electrification, connectivity, autonomous driving and services.
MIC focuses initially on Battery & Energy Systems and Alternative Vehicles (autonomous driving and e-mobility).

Production of battery packs

So it seems VDL Nedcar is hoping to find a company eager to have battery packs manufactured in Limburg.
Which party that will be is not yet known.
VDL itself is not releasing any information about that either.
That investments are being made is beyond question.