Northvolt develops battery without China metals

Unlike the lithium ion batteries that Northvolt is now producing in Skellefteå for use in the automotive industry, the new sodium ion batteries are intended for energy storage. This is a growing market as energy from solar and wind power needs to be stored.

The new batteries will be manufactured in collaboration with the Uppsala company Altris. All raw materials for production will come from Europe.

Northvolt’s validated cell is based on a hard carbon anode and a Prussian White-based cathode, and is free from lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite. Leveraging a breakthrough in battery design and manufacturing, Northvolt plans to be the first to industrialize Prussian White-based batteries and bring them to commercial markets.

“Our sodium-ion technology delivers the performance required to enable energy storage with longer duration than alternative battery chemistries, at a lower cost, thereby opening new pathways to deploying renewable power generation. The potential of sodium-ion in this market alone will make a tremendous impact in the drive towards global electrification,” says Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt.

Several years of development work remain before commercial production can begin. Northvolt's plan is to develop the new production together with partners in different parts of the world.

Lennart Håkansson

editor@northswedenbusiness.com