Battery pack helps electric cars run 1.5 million km without charging

Two sustainable technology companies are jointly developing a battery pack for heavy-duty electric vehicles with a remarkable lifespan that can power a vehicle for more than 1.5 million kilometers .

The battery pack jointly developed by Scania and Northvolt has a long lifespan. (Photo: Scania)

The new lithium-ion battery design, produced in northern Sweden using non-fossil electricity, has a carbon footprint one-third that of other similar products. The battery pack's specifications include a thin rectangular cell with a capacity of 157 ampere hours and a nominal voltage of 3.6 volts. The battery's lifespan is more than 1.5 million kilometers for heavy-duty electric vehicles, making it one of the longest-lasting batteries in the industry, Interesting Engineering reported on April 24. Typically, the lifespan of an electric car battery is 8 years/100,000 miles (about 160,000 km), but this will vary depending on the manufacturer and the environmental conditions of use.

Scania and Northvolt began working together in 2017 to develop and commercialize batteries for heavy-duty electric commercial vehicles. The collaboration has already exceeded initial performance expectations. The batteries are being produced at Northvolt's Ett plant in northern Sweden, and Scania will open a new battery plant in Södertälje later this year, where the batteries will be fully assembled for the start of production of heavy-duty electric trucks.

According to Peter Carlsson, co-founder and CEO of Northvolt, the collaboration on high-performance battery packs allows Scania to plan for electrification of trucks. Christian Levin, CEO of Scania, also shared that batteries of this type are essential for the transition to sustainable transportation.

Northvolt Ett is a battery manufacturing facility powered by 100% non-fossil energy from hydroelectric and wind power. Due to the use of non-fossil energy and the combination of sustainable production at Northvolt Ett, the battery pack emissions are well below industry standards. Scania and Northvolt demonstrate that close and innovative cooperation can make sustainable transport solutions a reality.