Northvolt has unveiled its plans to establish a fully integrated gigafactory for lithium-ion batteries just outside of Montreal, in the Canadian province of Quebec. This facility, named Northvolt Six, will have the capacity to manufacture 60 GWh of battery cells annually and will include adjacent facilities for producing cathode active materials and recycling batteries, thus enabling a complete circular production process on-site.
The construction of the initial 30 GWh phase of this project is scheduled to commence by the end of 2023, with the first operations expected to commence in 2026. This first phase, encompassing cathode and cell manufacturing along with recycling, is anticipated to require a total investment of $5 billion USD (or $7 billion CAD) and will provide employment opportunities for up to 3,000 individuals. Importantly, this endeavour is receiving strong support from both the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec and is poised to be the largest private investment in the history of Quebec.
The selection of the 170-hectare site for Northvolt Six in McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand, just outside of Montreal, followed a thorough evaluation of potential locations in North America. This chosen site meets a range of criteria essential for ensuring the company’s commitment to sustainable battery production. The presence of Quebec’s hydroelectric power guarantees that cell production will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, making it an ideal location within the North American automotive value chain.
Northvolt, founded in 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden, has pioneered a sustainable approach to battery manufacturing. The company has secured orders totalling $55 billion from key customers, including BMW, Fluence, Scania, Volvo Cars, and Volkswagen Group. Northvolt is currently delivering batteries from its first gigafactory, Northvolt Ett, located in Skellefteå, Sweden, and from its research and development and industrialization campus, Northvolt Labs, situated in Västerås, Sweden. The company employs over 5,000 professionals across Sweden, Germany, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the United States, and Canada.
