Scania AB and Northvolt have revealed their collaborative effort in developing a battery cell built for heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs). Through rigorous validation tests, this lithium-ion cell has showcased exceptional longevity, enabling trucks to be powered for an astonishing 1.5 million kilometers, equivalent to the entire lifespan of the vehicle. Furthermore, the cell is manufactured using renewable, fossil-free electricity in northern Sweden, resulting in a significantly reduced carbon footprint, approximately one-third that of a comparative industry benchmark according to Scania.
The lithium-ion battery is the result of a successful five-year collaboration between two prominent Swedish companies, which commenced in 2017. Scania, in search of durable, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable battery cells for its heavy-duty trucks and buses, found a reliable partner in Northvolt, who was willing to take on the challenge that Scania’s rigid requirements posed.
The lithium-ion cell was manufactured at Northvolt's Ett gigafactory, located in northern Sweden, which commenced operations last year. Northvolt’s state-of-the-art facility is powered exclusively by renewable hydro and wind energy sources, a major contributing factor to the battery’s reduced carbon footprint. The remarkable longevity of the cell positions it as one of the most robust and enduring batteries in the EV industry. In comparison to current market standards, which typically estimate EV batteries to last between 150,000 to 300,000 kilometers.
“At the outset of this partnership, Northvolt and Scania agreed to an ambitious timeline for the development of a high-performance battery cell which would enable their plans for electrifying heavy transport. To have proceeded through extensive development and validation phases, and now be delivering cells from Northvolt Ett which exceed our initial expectations in terms of performance is a tremendous accomplishment for everyone involved.”
Northvolt is set to commence large-scale production of the truck batteries at its Ett gigafactory in the near future. As part of their ambitious plans, Northvolt aims to progressively increase the factory's capacity to a staggering 60 GWh over the next few years to supply clients such as Volkswagen, BMW, Volvo, and, of course, Scania.
Meanwhile, Scania is slated to inaugurate a new battery factory in Södertälje, Sweden later this year. This new production plant will be responsible for assembling Northvolt's high-quality battery cells into battery packs, which will be utilized in the production of Scania's heavy-duty electric trucks.
