Start of construction for Gothenburg's battery gigafactory
Gothenburg’s new gigafactory is emerging, with the first cornerstone laid by Jim Rowan, CEO of Volvo Cars; Adrian Clarke, CEO of Novo Energy; and Peter Carlsson, CEO of Northvolt on 6 March. Meanwhile, the joint-venture company is ramping up recruitment efforts.
“This cornerstone ceremony signifies the realization of our joint vision to establish a world-class battery gigafactory on the West Coast of Sweden,” said Adrian Clarke, CEO of Novo Energy, a joint venture between Volvo Cars and Northvolt, in a press release.
“By leveraging the expertise and resources of both Northvolt and Volvo Cars, we can accelerate the transition towards sustainable mobility and make Gothenburg, the region’s automotive capital, an important hub for the fast-growing Nordic battery industry.”
Novo Energy is growing rapidly, with plans to double its headcount from 250 to 500 by the end of the year. Recruitment efforts will intensify in 2025, focusing on manufacturing roles to prepare for start of production in 2026. Once at maximum capacity, the gigafactory is expected to employ around 2,500 people.
Committed to innovation and sustainability
The new plant will be powered by 100% fossil-free energy and battery cells from the gigafactory will only travel a few metres into Volvo Cars’ new Battery Assembly which is being built directly adjacent to the gigafactory.
“Today’s start of construction is an important milestone for Volvo Cars as we move steadily towards becoming a fully electric car maker by 2030,” said Jim Rowan in a press release.
“Electric cars are our future, and our record 2023 sales performance demonstrates that customers like what they see in our electric portfolio. In coming years we will further expand our electric portfolio, and this new battery plant will play a crucial role in powering those cars and achieving our ambitions,” he said.
The partnership between Northvolt and Volvo Cars combines one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world and a leading supplier of sustainable, high-quality battery cells and systems. Apart from the new gigafactory, the joint venture also includes a research and development centre, which is operating in Gothenburg.
“This joint venture is about creating a high-performance battery cell for high-performance cars, and we are aiming to produce it with the lowest CO2-footprint in the automotive industry,” said Peter Carlsson, Co-Founder and CEO of Northvolt in a press release.
“Volvo Cars and Northvolt share a commitment to innovation and sustainability, together we will produce batteries for the next generation electric Volvo cars,” he added.
Read more
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