Analysis

December 11, 2023

Northvolt’s battery breakthrough — and the big quest to move Europe away from lithium

Building a battery that doesn’t rely on lithium or cobalt is a holy grail for the green transition


Freya Pratty and Mimi Billing

6 min read

Illustration of Elinor Batteries' factory in Norway

Currently, nearly all batteries require metals like lithium and cobalt. Problem: Europe doesn’t have a lot of these minerals, and has to rely on places like China for supply. 

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Northvolt's team working on sodium-ion batteries.
Northvolt's team working on sodium-ion batteries.
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Northvolt is using a material called Prussian White in its sodium-ion battery.
Northvolt is using a material called Prussian White in its sodium-ion battery.
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Freya Pratty

Freya Pratty is Sifted's associate editor. She covers UK tech and leads Sifted's investigations. Follow her on X , LinkedIn and Bluesky

Mimi Billing

Mimi Billing is Sifted's Europe editor, based in Stockholm. She covers the Nordics and can be found on X and LinkedIn

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