As promised, the Swedish company Northvolt “gigafactory” will start producing batteries for electric cars before the end of 2021. The company announced this Wednesday that it has begun a “new chapter in the industrial history of Europe”, by becoming the first in the world. Old Continent “to design, develop and manufacture” battery cell.

Northvolt confirmed in a statement that the cell, which left the factory on Tuesday evening, “represents a milestone” the company has been working towards since it announced the establishment of a “gigafactory” in Skellefteå, in 2017. Peter Carlson told Reuters that the plant will start production in 2021. If only it was New Year’s Eve.

Production will continue until 2022, the year Northvolt plans to deliver its first deliveries of batteries to customers. The company has agreements with manufacturers such as Volkswagen, its main shareholder, BMW and Volvo. It has an order book of more than 23 billion euros. “This is just the beginning. We are looking to increase the plant’s production capacity over the next few years, in order to contribute to Europe’s energy transition,” says Peter Carlson, quoted in the same note.

The plant, which employs 500 people, will reach a production capacity of 60 gigawatt-hours per year.

at the beginning of the month Northvolt announces partnership with Galp, which expects to build a lithium refinery in Portugal. The “Aurora” project should represent an investment of 700 million euros and create 1,500 direct and indirect jobs. The site is still under study.