A joint venture between France’s Manitou Group and China’s Hangcha Group will build a lithium-ion battery factory in Le Mans, northern France.

They say it will let users upgrade their vehicles powered by lead-acid batteries to the longer lasting lithium-ion type.

Manitou is aiming for 28% of all units sold to be electric by 2030.

Zhao Limin, Hangcha Group’s chairman, said: “Leveraging Hangcha’s core technological and manufacturing strengths in lithium battery solutions, we will collaboratively enhance solution capability of new energy industrial vehicle power systems.”

The joint venture is subject to approval by the European competition authorities.