Webasto is set to sell its battery system business.
According to media reports, Webasto is aiming to sell its battery systems division. The company is in advanced talks with two strategic buyers, said CEO Jörg Buchheim. An agreement is expected to be reached this year. The proceeds would help alleviate financial pressures on the struggling supplier.
Production lines at Webasto’s factory in Korea.
Image: Webasto
Handelsblatt and Automobilwoche report this unanimously, citing statements from senior company executives at the sidelines of Webasto’s 125th anniversary celebration. The Stockdorf-based conglomerate plans to use the upcoming sale of its battery division to stabilize its financial position. Webasto originally considered all options, including cooperation or a partial sale, according to the reports. However, the two potential buyers with whom Webasto is currently in advanced negotiations are “both interested in a full acquisition,” Buchheim was quoted as saying.
We recall that Webasto entered the promising markets for battery systems and charging solutions nearly a decade ago with substantial capital investment. The supplier began manufacturing battery packs in Germany in 2019, at a facility in Schierling. Following this example, Webasto opened another battery assembly plant about three years later in Dangjin, South Korea, south of Seoul. More such plants were established in 2024. The driving force behind this was ongoing orders from Hyundai-Kia for battery systems for several full-electric mass-market vehicle models. To this day, the Hyundai-Kia group remains Webasto’s key customer in the battery business. In 2025, this segment generated around 300 million euros in revenue.
Buchheim emphasizes in this context that while the battery business is attractive, it also requires substantial investments. According to the company, the sector grows at an average rate of 25 percent per year, and current demand exceeds available capacity. The “Automobilwoche” reports that “Webasto itself lacks the funds to finance this growth on its own. New production capacity may require investments of up to 100 million euros.”
The global high-voltage battery business is now explicitly up for sale. Automobilwoche quotes Buchheim as saying that both interested parties bring not only sufficient equity but also industrialization expertise and access to additional applications outside the automotive industry. The division is still reporting losses. However, according to the business plan, this is supposed to change by 2027. While the supplier will lose a profitable growth area through the potential sale, it can avoid future financing needs for the division and use the proceeds to repay its heavy debts. The potential purchase price has not been disclosed, however.
Buchheim emphasized to Automobilwoche, “We don’t need to conduct emergency sales.” The restructuring can be funded even without sales; transactions would merely be an additional positive effect. The available liquidity exceeds the assumptions in the restructuring report from October 2025. Webasto’s need for restructuring is linked to its expansion drive after the turn of the millennium, when the supplier invested in several new areas. Webasto’s core business remains automotive roof systems.
Webasto was unable to recoup its previous investments through rapid sales growth as planned. As a result, it now carries debts of around 1.5 billion euros, which put such strain on the auto parts supplier that it had to reach an agreement with the banks last year. Under significant pressure, Webasto negotiated extensions to its existing loans and additional financing. The “Handelsblatt” summarized the situation by saying, “The Baier and Mey ownership families had to temporarily relinquish control of the majority shares. 2,000 jobs were cut.” Although no further layoffs are planned at present, according to Chief Restructuring Officer Johann Stohner, the company will continue to downsize in the long term. The goal is to reduce debts to under one billion euros through various measures, Stohner was quoted as saying.
According to Automobilwoche, these “additional measures” include seeking opportunities for the electric high-voltage heating business as well. Webasto is looking for new owners or partners for specific activities in this area, the magazine reports. The division is expected to generate sales of around 50 million euros. “A strategic partner who can integrate this technology into a larger system and scale it up is also being sought,” writes the automotive industry magazine. The underlying reason is the price pressure in the electric vehicle sector. “Webasto has invested heavily in high-performance heating technology, but sees a trend toward cheaper solutions. Further innovations would first need to be industrialized, which would require additional capital investment.”