The creation of a lithium-ion battery cell by Scania and Northvolt is expected to enable heavy electric vehicles to travel 1.5 million kilometres with the same battery pack.
The cell was created in northern Sweden using fossil-free electricity and has a carbon footprint that is roughly one-third that of a comparable industry reference, claims the company. A new battery factory is expected to open in Scania’s home city of Södertälje, Sweden, later this year. The battery will be assembled into battery packs for the start of production of Scania’s heavy-duty electric trucks.
Scania and Northvolt have jointly developed a battery cell for heavy electric vehicles that has a lifetime of 1.5 million kilometers, effectively meaning each truck will have a battery for life. Previously, commercial vehicle engineers had been expecting batteries would need replacing during the life of the vehicle. The lithium-ion cell was validated in tests and is produced with fossil-free electricity in northern Sweden, resulting in a carbon footprint approximately one-third that of a comparative industry reference. The cell will be assembled into battery packs for the production of heavy-duty electric trucks, with Scania inaugurating a new battery factory in Sweden later this year.
Peter Carlsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Northvolt, expressed satisfaction with the progress made since the partnership began in 2017, stating that the cell’s performance exceeded initial expectations. Meanwhile, Scania’s CEO Christian Levin described the battery cell as a milestone towards achieving a sustainable transport system, adding that Scania needs top-performing battery cells to deliver on its brand promise to customers.
Northvolt Ett, where the cell is produced, is powered by 100% fossil-free electricity generated by hydro power and wind power. The estimated carbon footprint of the cell is approximately one-third that of a comparative industry reference cell due to the integration of additional sustainable production features at Northvolt Ett.
The cell has a prismatic format, a capacity of 157 Ah, a nominal voltage of 3.6 V, and a lifetime of 1.5 million kilometers in heavy-duty commercial transportation.
