Northvolt starts construction of EV battery gigafactory in Germany

Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt AB on Monday launched the construction of its gigafactory in Heide, northern Germany, where it plans to produce up to 60 GWh of electric vehicle (EV) batteries per year.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the Northvolt Drei gigafactory was joined by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein Daniel Guenter, Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson and Northvolt Drei CEO Christofer Haux.

“Germany was, is, and will remain a country with a strong manufacturing base. And the production of good cars beyond the combustion engine continues to form the backbone of our industrial sector. For that, we need battery cells made in Germany, made in Europe,” Scholz said.

The factory will be located at an industrial site outside of Heide on land spanning 110 hectares (271.8 acres). It will manufacture batteries for about one million EVs each year, relying on the region’s onshore and offshore wind farms for electricity.

Northvolt Drei expect the factory to create jobs for around 3,000 people. First operations are scheduled to begin in 2026.

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