Lagercrantz, 57, initiated the push in 2016 to establish a battery industry in northern Sweden.
Northvolt’s access to renewable power and smaller CO2 footprint is key in differentiating the company from Asian giants like China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology, Japan’s Panasonic, and LG Chem from South Korea.
In May, the company became the first European company to start commercial shipments to an automaker from the Northvolt Ett plant in Skelleftea, Sweden.
While Ett is still scaling up, the manufacturer is also planning a new plant in Gothenburg to supply Volvo and Polestar.
A third factory in northern Germany dubbed “Northvolt Drei” is scheduled for 2025. This is set to boost Northvolt’s overall battery-cell manufacturing to over 170 gigawatt-hours, among the biggest in Europe.
Lagercrantz and Mix are also founders and investors in H2 Green Steel, which plans to make fossil-free steel, and Polarium Energy Solutions — two startups aiming for a stock market listing in the “not too distant future.”