Northvolt wants to produce in Germany

The battery start-up, which is primarily known for its collaboration with Volkswagen, wants to set up a production facility in Germany. But there is a problem.

The Swedish start-up Northvolt is moving to Germany. As the head of Northvolt, Peter Carlsson, told Automobilwoche, the company is in talks with several federal states about the possibility of setting up a factory in Germany. Alongside Tesla, this would be the second start-up in the electric car and battery sector to come to Germany in the shortest possible time. Carlsson himself used to work for Tesla.

In the interview, he obviously did not want to reveal more than the talks. These are still at a very early stage. One problem in particular is causing the start-up problems: the high cost of electricity. In Sweden, these are kept down thanks to hydropower, which is not possible in Germany. "We are currently investigating how we can solve this problem," Carlsson told Automobilwoche.

At the main plant in Skellefteå, Carlsson can rely on cheap, sustainable electricity. The plant there is to be continuously expanded until 2025. Two thirds of the capacity will then be reserved for VW so that the car manufacturer can meet the targets for its electric car offensive. However, the plant in Germany is initially independent of cooperation partner Volkswagen.