Webasto said this week it is in advanced negotiations to sell its global high‑voltage battery systems business, naming two strategic industry buyers as the parties in contention and saying a deal could be reached before the end of the year. The comments came at Webasto’s 125th‑anniversary event in Stockdorf on October 29, where CEO Jörg Buchheim and chief restructuring officer Johann Stohner set out options to reduce the group’s indebtedness and refocus the company.
Division details and the numbers
According to reporting in Handelsblatt, electrive and Reuters, Webasto’s battery systems division generated roughly €300 million of revenue in 2025 and has been growing at about 25% a year, but remained loss‑making in the latest accounts; the business plan targets break‑even in 2027. Management told journalists the unit would need additional industrial investment to scale further — Automobilwoche and electrive cited possible capacity investment requirements of up to €100 million.
Group finances were a central theme of the anniversary event. Webasto’s reported gross indebtedness stands at about €1.5 billion and management has said the goal is to lower that figure to below €1.0 billion; Reuters reported that without disposals the company expects only about €200 million of debt reduction through existing measures by 2028.
Buchheim was quoted by the trade press as saying the two interested parties bring industrialisation expertise and access to applications beyond automotive; he added the company “does not need to make distress sales.” Johann Stohner said the company seeks clarity on the buyers “this year.” Automobilwoche and electrive relayed both comments.
Deal scope: battery unit and other assets
Reporting also says Webasto is reviewing other non‑core assets. Reuters and MarketScreener noted the group is exploring options for its high‑voltage heating activities and flagged an industrial heater production line in Poland — described as manufacture of heaters for military field hospitals in some reports — among the smaller units under review. Automobilwoche and electrive reported the heating activities account for materially less revenue than the battery unit (electrive cited roughly €50 million for some high‑voltage heating activities, while Reuters referenced the larger heating group in aggregate). Webasto has not disclosed sale prices or a final timetable beyond the management comments at the event.
