Northvolt is focused on process innovation, scale and vertical integration. The objective is to build the world’s greenest battery, with a minimal carbon footprint and the highest ambitions for recycling, to enable the European transition to renewable energy.

After conducting in-depth assessments of eight Swedish and two Finnish municipalities, Northvolt in July proceeded with Västerås and Skellefteå to perform a closer assessment, including environmental studies and consultations. After carefully studying both municipalities, Northvolt decided that a split operational setup, with the factory located in Skellefteå and main R&D operations located in Västerås, was the optimal solution.

• Skellefteå is part of a raw material and mining cluster in the north of Sweden and has a long history of process manufacturing and recycling. Skellefteå will be the location of Northvolt’s first large-scale lithium-ion battery factory and will serve as the main production site, which includes active material preparation, cell assembly, recycling and auxiliaries. The factory will employ 2,000-2,500 people.

• Västerås has a strong standing within energy and electrification. It is home to several multinational companies, including ABB, with world class engineering and R&D competence in electrification and process optimization. Northvolt will establish its R&D facility in Västerås, including a demonstration line which will be used to qualify and industrialize products and processes. The Västerås operations will employ 300-400 people.

The construction of the demonstration line in Västerås will begin next year and is scheduled to be completed in 2019.