ABB and Northvolt partner for Europe’s largest battery factory; semiconductor foundry as model
26 September 2017
ABB and Northvolt have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a wide-ranging supply and technology partnership, including products and services for Northvolt’s planned lithium-ion battery factory and close collaboration on development of battery solutions and R&D activities. Northvolt intends for its factory to supply European customers in the automotive and key industries with high quality and customizable battery solutions. ABB Technology Ventures (ATV) will support the initial phase of this project through an early investment.
Northvolt plans to build Europe’s largest and most advanced lithium-ion battery factory in Sweden, using the semiconductor foundry as a model. Customers will provide specifications, or work with Northvolt to develop an application-specific cell. Northvolt intends to offer one or two basic form factors and perfect the production of these. The company will offer a number of leading industry standard chemistries, which will be improved continuously. For high volume customers, proprietary chemistries will be closely tailored to fit specific needs.
Northvolt said that it is currently taking orders from and offering supply options to customers with volume needs exceeding 250 MWh/year.
The products and services that ABB intend to supply include a fully integrated robotics, automation and electrification solution including ABB’s distributed control system ABB AbilitySystem 800xA as well as advanced digital solutions such as ABB AbilityManufacturing Operations Management, making this factory a showcase for Industry 4.0.
Both partners have agreed on a technology collaboration to drive innovation in battery technology in areas such as production platform, cell and module design, and battery performance. The companies intend to have a close collaboration on development of battery solutions for mobile and stationary applications, including the potential sourcing of batteries.
The factory is expected to start production in 2020. A demonstration-line will be ready by 2019 and will allow Northvolt to continuously optimize products and processes.
We are excited to support Northvolt’s project to build the battery factory of the future here in one of our home countries. This uniquely integrated factory would be a true showcase for ABB’s leadership in industrial automation and smart electrification and would help to meet the ever-increasing demand for smarter, greener storage solutions.
—ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer
The world is moving quickly towards electrification. We want to enable this transition by building the largest, cutting-edge lithium-ion battery factory on the European continent and producing the world’s greenest batteries. ABB is at the forefront of the electrification, and we are delighted to have them on-board as strategic partner, key supplier and investor.
—Peter Carlsson, CEO of Northvolt
BB could bring a lot of resources and know how to a fully integrated automated battery factory.
Automation is a must to bring cost down.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 September 2017 at 09:27 AM
Correction:
BB should read ABB
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 September 2017 at 09:28 AM
Solid state batteries have been done by Sakti3 which was bought by Dyson which will make an EV in 2020.
Posted by: SJC | 26 September 2017 at 04:34 PM