The Chamber of Commerce of Serbia and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) organized the Battery & eMobility Supply Chain conference as a strategic opportunity for Serbia. The event brought together representatives of institutions, companies, and international partners with the goal of assessing Serbia’s position in the European battery value chain and defining directions for the development of e‑mobility.
Mihailo Vesović, Deputy President of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, emphasized that e‑mobility will dominate in the coming years, while internal combustion engines will account for only a small share of the market. He stressed that the changes will affect the entire supply chain, making it crucial for domestic companies to transform and upgrade in time.
– Serbia’s strategic commitment is to engage in e‑mobility through the application of industrial policy. The future development of the automotive industry must not rely solely on foreign investors, but also on state‑owned companies – Vesović said, adding that progress requires the adoption of a national strategy and support from knowledge, universities, and experts.
German Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Anke Konrad, highlighted that the global industry is undergoing a major shift, encompassing not only technology but also energy, infrastructure, and geopolitics.
She underlined that reliable partnership is key, and that this transformation offers Serbia the chance to find its place in the European and global value chain. According to her, Serbia is already on this path through German investments in the automotive industry, but it needs to develop a stronger ecosystem, legal framework, higher education, and cooperation in raw materials.
Presentation of the European Battery Industry Study
The conference premiered findings from a study on the European battery industry and the transition to electric vehicles. Researcher Felix Maile from Copenhagen Business School presented a coherent analysis of the current state and challenges.
The main message was that Europe lags significantly behind China and South Korea in innovation, capacity, and market share. While Poland and Hungary have become regional hubs thanks to large subsidies and political support, European startups face high costs, lack of expertise, and dependence on Chinese technologies. Maile noted that Serbia has attracted some investments in EV components, but they remain isolated and do not form a true ecosystem.
ElevenEs: Europe’s First Large LFP Battery Factory
Special attention was given to ElevenEs, a Serbian startup founded in 2019. Unlike other European firms, it began gradually, starting with pilot production before scaling up, combining domestic and foreign expertise. The company’s next step is building a factory with a capacity of 1 GWh, which will demonstrate whether it can transition from pilot to mass production.
Company representative Aleksandra Roganović explained that the choice of LFP technology was the result of long‑term consideration, and that the planned capacities will open the door to localizing the entire battery materials supply chain in Serbia.
From Potential to Positioning
Panelists discussed where Serbia aims to be in the coming years and what needs to be done to seize the strategic opportunity in e‑mobility and batteries.
Mihailo Vesović reiterated that Serbia’s strategic commitment is to pursue e‑mobility through industrial policy, including state‑owned companies. Vladimir Tomić from the Development Agency of Serbia pointed out stagnation in battery development and supply chains in recent years, stressing the need for coordinated support from all stakeholders, state and private sector alike, to enable sustainable growth.
Aleksandra Roganović spoke about the challenges of battery production, explaining that they constantly faced the question of why they chose LFP technology.
— To build a battery, you need much more than technology you need vision, perseverance, and the willingness to make decisions that pay off in the long run — Roganović emphasized.
Lindsay Whitfield, advisor at GIZ, shared key conclusions based on best practices from Poland and Hungary. She noted that these countries were proactive in the transition, with strong political support and investments, which enabled them to position themselves as regional centers of the battery industry.
The conference demonstrated that Serbia has a realistic chance to position itself within the European battery value chain. However, achieving this requires a clear strategy, coordination between institutions and industry, and proactive support from the state and international partners.
