GOTHENBURG'S RAPIDLY EMERGING BATTERY INDUSTRY 

In Gothenburg we are shaping the new battery industry. In the coming years Gothenburg and West Sweden will have in place two battery gigafactories, with major investments being made by Volvo Cars, Northvolt and the Volvo Group. The region is rapidly becoming an important hub in the fast-growing Nordic battery value chain. It is building up the entire value chain for electric vehicles. 

Hotspot for innovation. Front-runner in sustainability. Master of collaboration.   

Gothenburg has a long tradition of industry, academia and municipality working together. Together they are cultivating new capabilities and fostering innovations that propel the battery industry forward. We are increasingly seeing cross-sector initiatives and new approaches. 

Progressive electromobility brands including Volvo Cars, the Volvo Group, Polestar, Einride, Heart Aerospace, Stena Line, CEVT and Novo Energy are headquartered and/or operate important R&D sites here.

Chalmers, one of Europe’s top technology universities, is an important part of our ecosystem, building knowledge, driving progress and providing a strong supply of talent. Together with industry partners it carries out leading research on, for example, battery materials, energy storage and battery manufacturing. It also hosts the Swedish Electromobility Centre, a national centre of excellence for hybrid and electric vehicle and charging technology. Chalmers is a strong enabler for establishing a sustainable and globally competitive battery value chain. 

As a hub for R&D, Gothenburg offers excellent possibilities for testing and many platforms for collaboration. 
For example, the largest of three facilities for SEEL Swedish Electric Transport Laboratory, Sweden’s testbed for electromobility, is located in Gothenburg. Here you can test prototypes and products at independent facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. The testbed is a collaboration between RISE Research Institutes and Chalmers University of Technology. Zeekr, Volvo Cars and the Volvo Group are among the companies carrying out development activities there. 

Gothenburg Green City Zone is another testbed paving the way towards an emission-free mobility system. Businesses, academia and public actors are testing new innovative solutions within a number of zones within the city that can be quickly scaled up. Wireless charging of electric taxis is one of the test and development projects underway. 

Ensuring skills supply for a sustainable battery industry

With 120,000 employees, Gothenburg’s county accounts for 20% of Sweden’s manufacturing workforce - significantly more than anywhere else in the country. Reskilling and upskilling initiatives for the region’s new battery industry are also underway. 

Among them is a unique education and training centre which is being established in Gothenburg, specifically for the battery value chain. Around 7,000 people will be trained in state-of-the-art facilities between 2024 and 2029. 

In addition, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden offers open and tailor-made courses and introductory trainings for re-skilling and up-skilling within the battery value chain.

In short, we have an excellent foundation and initiatives underway to provide industry with a highly skilled and experienced workforce.