As of July 25, the number of electric cars has surpassed the count of plug-in hybrids registered for traffic in Sweden, according to the latest data from the Swedish Transport Agency.
The figures showed that Sweden boasts 278,212 registered electric cars, outnumbering plug-in hybrids at 276,604. In the past, plug-in hybrids have had a larger market share than electric cars in Sweden.
Allt om Elbil reported that electric cars have become much more popular over the last two years because car manufacturers have made more models with improved performance, more room inside and better specifications. These advancements encourage a growing number of individuals to make the switch to all-electric.
Recent statistics from Mobility Sweden also revealed that the total sales of electric cars continued to rise amid a decline in overall car sales in the country. This year’s pure electric vehicles constituted 37.5 percent of total car sales, up from 26.2 percent in the previous year.
The actual number of electric cars sold in July this year amounted to 6,487, which is a significant increase compared to the 4,677 electric cars sold during the same month last year.
Electric Car Sales in July
Leading the charge in the electric car sale was Volkswagen, with 1,076 electric cars registered in July alone. Models ID4 and ID5 dominated the market, accounting for about 90 percent of the total sales. More than half of Volkswagen’s total sales comprised electric vehicles, totaling 51 percent.
However, the true surprise of the month came from an unexpected contender. The Chinese BYD Atto3 claimed the top spot as the most popular model in July, with 721 cars registered. Surpassing the runner-up, the Volkswagen ID4, by 11 cars, the BYD Atto3 made a significant impact on the sales charts.
While the Tesla Model Y dominated sales in June, its performance experienced a downturn in July. The model sold only 359 units compared to the previous month’s 2,377 units.
Nevertheless, the Tesla Model Y remains unrivaled as the chart leader for the entire year, with an impressive 8901 units sold since January. Its closest competitor, the Volvo XC40, has delivered 5,126 units this year.
Volvo Cars (VOLCARb.ST) in Sweden reported a 21 percent increase in car sales for July compared to the same month last year, selling an impressive 54,165 vehicles. This growth marks the company’s 11th consecutive month of year-over-year expansion.
Meanwhile, the proportion of plug-in hybrids among new car registrations has begun to decline. Currently, plug-in hybrids account for 18.5 percent of all new cars, down from 22.0 percent in the first half of 2022 and 23.9 percent in the same period in 2021.
On the other hand, electric cars now represent 34.9 percent of all new car registrations this year, compared to 26.0 percent in the first half of 2022 and 12.5 percent in the first half of 2021.
Although the overall share of electric cars in Sweden may seem relatively small, it ranks among the highest in the world. With 5,168,248 registered passenger cars in the country, 5.4 percent are electric cars.
Northvolt Ett to Revolutionize Green Battery Production
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to surge, Europe’s first battery “gigafactory,” Northvolt Ett in Skellefteå, Sweden, is gearing up to play a crucial role in meeting the power needs of one million electric cars each year.
Currently under construction, this massive factory is scheduled to start operating around 2026. Once operational, it is anticipated to employ a workforce of 4,000 and have an annual production capacity of 60 gigawatt-hours of lithium battery cells.
Northvolt representative Anders Thor said that the factory’s size is so massive that it could easily accommodate the Pentagon, the world’s largest office building and houses the U.S. defense department, with plenty of extra space.
The facility is divided into separate buildings, each dedicated to specific steps in the battery manufacturing process.
First, the factory produces powders that contain the raw materials needed for making batteries, such as lithium or graphite. Then, it transforms these powders into thick liquids or slurries. These slurries are spread onto thin foil sheets and dried in large ovens.
The factory further incorporates separate sections for creating the anode and cathode, which are later assembled into cells and filled with electrolytes.
Beyond its impressive scale, Northvolt Ett aims to set new standards in sustainability and green battery production. While electric vehicles already boast a smaller carbon footprint than their fossil fuel counterparts over their lifetime, battery production still relies on fossil fuels.
However, Northvolt intends to address this concern by using Sweden’s abundance of renewable energy sources, such as hydro power, to manufacture batteries with significantly reduced emissions.
The company claims that the emissions per battery produced in their Swedish facility are already 70 percent lower than those produced in China and aims to push this figure to 90 percent.
Northvolt Ett also includes a designated area for battery formation and aging, where rigorous quality monitoring takes place. Going above and beyond, Northvolt plans to build the world’s largest battery recycling plant. It fosters a circular economy by recovering valuable materials for reuse.
In order to minimize environmental impact, the company sources raw materials from nearby mines and relies on electric trucks for transportation. Northvolt has even set up a test site for electric planes at a nearby airport and is actively developing energy-dense lithium metal batteries tailored for aviation.
ChargeFinder Update Adds Convenience for EV Drivers
Sweden boasts a considerable availability of public charging stations for electric vehicles. As of now, there are approximately 2,500 charging stations spread across the country. However, the charging costs can differ based on the supplier, with an average of SEK 7 per mile or roughly SEK 3.5 per kWh at charging stations.
Recently, the ChargeFinder app introduced an update that adds more convenience for EV drivers in Sweden. ChargeFinder serves as a comprehensive directory of all public EV chargers across Sweden. It offers drivers real-time status updates on chargers, smart filtering options, a route planner and instructions on how to use and understand charging costs.
The latest update goes beyond displaying the regular prices at charging stations provided by the operator. Now, the app includes pricing information from various charging services and apps. It is easier for users to identify the most cost-effective payment method for specific chargers.
According to reports, users can compare prices and find potential savings of several kroner per kilowatt-hour (kWh) by choosing the right payment service at the right time. This price comparison functionality is accessible in both the web version and the mobile app.