Northvolt Produces Initial Lithium-ion Battery
In a significant milestone for the European battery industry, the Northvolt Ett gigafactory in northern Sweden has completed the assembly of the first battery cell. This historic event marks the first time a homegrown European battery company has designed, developed, and assembled a battery cell on such a large scale.
The first cell, a prismatic cell format, was developed at Northvolt Labs, the industrialization factory in Västerås, Sweden. This achievement is a testament to the company's relentless pursuit of innovation since the announcement of the gigafactory in 2017.
The assembly of the first cell is just the beginning for Northvolt. Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt, expressed his excitement, stating, "This is a significant milestone for Northvolt. We have been working towards this goal since the announcement of the gigafactory, and it's a proud moment for our team."
Northvolt Ett, with its initial production capacity of 4 GWh per year, has already secured over $30 billion worth of contracts from key customers. These customers are primarily in the automotive, industrial, and energy storage sectors, including BMW, Fluence, Scania, Volkswagen, Volvo Cars, and Polestar.
Commercial deliveries from Northvolt Ett are set to begin in 2022, with the first customer deliveries scheduled for the same year. The commissioning and upscaling of the factory will continue through into 2022, with plans to expand the production capacity greatly to enable the European transition to clean energy.
The Northvolt Ett workforce represents 56 different nationalities, reflecting the global nature of the company's mission. As of present, the factory in Skellefteå employs over 500 people.
The task of leading and co-founding Northvolt was taken over by Dan Cook, the former CEO of Lyten. Cook announced plans to revive production and research in Sweden and manage the expansion of Northvolt's gigafactories.
The commissioning of Northvolt Ett represents a new chapter in European industrial history, signifying a shift towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. The gigafactory's completion is a beacon of hope for the European battery industry, demonstrating the potential for homegrown companies to compete on a global scale.
