Webasto in Advanced Talks to Sell Its High-Voltage Battery Division
German supplier Webasto is in advanced negotiations to sell its global high-voltage battery business to one of two strategic investors, chief executive Joerg Buchheim said. A deal could be signed later in 2026, electrive reported on 2 November, citing the German business titles Handelsblatt and Automobilwoche.
Key takeaways
- The battery business made revenue of about 300 million euros in 2025.
- It has grown by about 25 per cent a year on average but still loses money.
- Hyundai-Kia is the anchor customer.
- No purchase price has been disclosed.
Why Webasto wants to sell
Demand for Webasto's battery packs is higher than its factories can supply. Adding capacity could require up to 100 million euros of investment, according to 2026 estimates, and Webasto cannot fund that on its own. Both interested parties reportedly want to take over the whole business, and Buchheim said they would bring fresh equity, industrialisation know-how and access to uses beyond the car industry.
Webasto first looked at other options, including a cooperation or a partial sale. The division's business plan foresees a turnaround to profit in 2027.
From sunroofs to battery packs
Roof systems for cars remain Webasto's core business. Around 2018 the company invested heavily in batteries and charging, and battery pack production started in 2019 at Schierling in Germany. A battery assembly plant in Dangjin, South Korea, followed about three years later and was expanded in 2024.
The battery division is not the only unit up for discussion. Webasto is also looking for new owners or partners for its electric high-voltage heater business, which generates around 50 million euros of annual revenue according to 2026 reports and faces price pressure and a shift towards cheaper solutions.
A company still restructuring
The expansion into new fields after 2000 did not deliver the planned growth and left Webasto with debts of about 1.5 billion euros. In 2025 it agreed with its banks to extend existing loans and secure extra borrowing, and the owner families Baier and Mey temporarily gave up control of the majority of shares. About 2,000 jobs have been cut. Chief restructuring officer Johann Stohner said no further cuts are planned at present, although the company will keep shrinking over the long term.
The goal is to bring debt below 1 billion euros, according to 2026 reports. Buchheim stressed that the plan is fully funded without asset sales, and that liquidity is better than an October 2025 expert report had assumed. "We do not need to make distress sales," he said.
What it means for you
For owners of Hyundai and Kia electric cars nothing changes, because battery warranty claims are handled by the carmaker. For the wider industry, the sale shows how hard it is for a traditional supplier to pay for battery production alone, even when orders keep growing.
Browse the Kia catalogue or read about the Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Sources
- electrive: Webasto poised to sell its battery systems business (2 Nov 2026) (accessed 4 Nov 2026)
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