A new Swedish battery assembly plant in the works

And at the same time the company says it is investing EUR 15.5 million in a new battery laboratory at its R&D facilities in Södertälje. The initial step for the new assembly plant is an 18’000-square metre facility for which construction is scheduled to start in early 2021, the aim here is to be fully operational by 2023. "This is a tangible manifestation of our determination to take a leading role in heavy vehicle electrification, which is needed to fulfil our commitment to science-based climate targets,” says Ruthger de Vries, Head of Production and Logistics at Scania, in a press release. “Operating an on-site battery assembly plant is a prerequisite for large-scale production of electric vehicles and it also establishes Scania clearly as a part of the battery production value chain.” The plant which will be built adjacent to the chassis assembly plant in Södertälje will assemble battery modules and packs from cells which will be delivered from Northvolt’s battery factory in Skellefteå, Sweden. The assembled packs form battery systems tailored for Scania’s modular production. “Scania continues to invest in the Stockholm Region and to build end-to-end electrification competence. Electrification will transform transport and this latest investment in Scania’s operations in Södertälje will further strengthen Sweden as a centre of cutting-edge innovation within heavy vehicle electrification,” de Vries cintinues. Employing a staff of 200, most recruited from within the company, the battery assembly plant will be highly automated; all the way from incoming goods throughout production to delivery. Staff handling manual elements of battery module assembly, such as fitting cable harnesses, will be trained in electrical safety and protection. The EUR 15.5 million new battery laboratory will take the shape of a 1’000-square metre new building – which the company recently started building – and will be completed by spring 2021. Following extensive testing and verification of equipment and instruments, Scania expects the laboratory will be fully operative by autumn 2021. The laboratory will contain three 250-square metre test halls for battery cells, modules and packs. Adjacent to these halls, the laboratory will also have facilities for test sample preparation in order to improve work environment, safety and testing uptime.