Battery

Battery

Roland Berger's global battery team delivers strategy, operations, and transaction support – from market entry to gigafactory ramp-up and investment decisions.

From strategy to shop floor – across the full battery value chain

Our battery consulting practice combines strategic, operational, and transaction expertise with hands-on engineering capability through our specialist subsidiaries ALEXEC Consulting and PolarixPartners. We work with OEMs, battery manufacturers, integrators, utilities, and investors at every stage of the battery and energy storage value chain – from market entry and architecture decisions through to gigafactory ramp-up and commercial due diligence. The result is guidance that is both commercially rigorous and technically credible.

Our team of over 80 dedicated professionals with deep expertise in batteries spans all major regions and draws on deep cross-sector knowledge across automotive, chemicals, energy, and metals. Clients come to us when the decisions are complex, the stakes are high, and they need an independent perspective grounded in real engineering and commercial experience across every major battery application.

Our solutions

We offer targeted consulting services across the three areas where battery and energy storage decisions are most complex and most consequential.

Strategy and business models

We help clients identify and capture emerging opportunities across the battery value chain — from market entry and growth strategy to partnering models, JV structuring, and new business development. Our work covers demand and competitive analysis, regulatory impact assessment, and technology positioning across EV, BESS, industrial, and recycling segments.

Operations and engineering

We improve efficiency, reduce cost, and accelerate development across battery R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain for grid, EV, and industrial programs. Through Roland Berger and our subsidiaries ALEXEC Consulting and PolarixPartners, we bring together strategic operations consulting with practical capability in pack design, should-costing, supplier auditing, and shop floor optimization – including gigafactory ramp-up and OEE improvement.

Transaction and investor support

We support strategic and financial investors across the full transaction lifecycle — commercial and technical due diligence, vendor due diligence, buy-side advisory, red-flag reviews, target screening, value creation planning, and IPO and carve-out support. Our assessments combine market rigour with technical depth, covering technology evaluation, manufacturing readiness, and regulatory exposure.

How we support clients

The following examples reflect the range of challenges our teams have tackled as well as the measurable outcomes we have delivered.

Strategy and business models – selected results:

  • Market entry strategy for a leading Asian battery player entering the European BESS market
  • Partnering strategy and joint venture negotiation support for a Chinese cell manufacturer
  • Business case and market entry strategy for a global chemicals company entering the electrolyte space
  • Market entry strategy in the defense sector for a Western battery producer
  • Impact assessment of European and US regulations on Asian battery manufacturers' overseas operations

Operations and engineering – selected results:

  • Battery materials cost reduced by more than 30% for a global automotive OEM
  • Battery development process shortened by more than 25% for a European automotive OEM
  • Battery engineering efficiency improved by more than 20% for a European automotive OEM
  • Ramp-up support, OEE improvement, and scrap rate reduction across multiple gigafactories in Europe and the US
  • Should-costing and supplier negotiation support for a Western cell manufacturer

Transaction and investor support – selected results:

  • Commercial and technical due diligence on a solid-state technology startup, leading to an investment decision by a global automotive OEM
  • Commercial due diligence on a BESS system integrator
  • Vendor due diligence supporting a North American battery recycling company in raising a record funding round
  • Commercial and technical due diligence on a European battery manufacturer for a private equity fund