Investigation launched into unexplained deaths at Swedish electric car battery plant

Forensic examinations did not establish why three employees died at the factory

Swedish battery group Northvolt's battery mega-factory under construction in Skelleftea, Sweden. Northvolt / AFP

Police in Sweden have launched an investigation into whether the unexplained deaths of three workers at an electric car battery factory are linked.

The deaths have cast a shadow over one of Europe's leading electric battery producers, with Japanese car company Toyota pulling its workers from the plant in response.

Authorities said on Thursday that they do not suspect foul play in the deaths of three people in six months at Swedish manufacturer Northvolt's “gigafactory”.

The Northvolt Ett plant is located in the northern town of Skelleftea. About 3,500 people work at the plant, Northvolt says on its website.

A 33-year-old man who worked as a cleaner at the factory was found dead at home in his bed on January 5.

On February 22, a 19-year-old man was found a day after his shift at the factory, having also died in his sleep.

After initial investigations, police concluded the deaths were not linked to each other or to their workplace.

A third employee, aged 59, was found dead at his home on June 5, Swedish media said.

Forensic examinations did not establish why any of the three employees had died, police said in a statement.

Northvolt electric battery plant in Sweden – in pictures

Northvolt, which counts BMW and Volkswagen among its investors, last year delivered its first battery cells from its gigafactory in Sweden. Photo: Northvolt AB

The factory is racing to electrify Europe's vehicle manufacturing sector as governments restrict the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles to meet decarbonisation targets. Photo: Northvolt AB

The electric battery plant aims to have an annual production capacity of 60 gigawatt hours, which will be enough to power hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Photo: Northvolt AB

The power plant is located in Skelleftea, a small city in north-eastern Sweden, which is surrounded by pine forests and lakes. Daniel Bardsley / The National

Northvolt is part of the Swedish green investment company Vargas. Photo: Northvolt AB

The gigafactory has attracted workers from around the globe, with more than 80 nationalities working on site. Daniel Bardsley / The National

The company has about 1,800 employees, but when the plant is completed in two years' time, that figure is set to rise to about 4,000. Daniel Bardsley / The National

Helena Renstrom said that the company can guarantee 100 per cent renewable energy in Skelleftea. Daniel Bardsley / The National

The company says it has been able to cut emissions by 70 per cent compared to a Chinese-produced electric cary battery. Daniel Bardsley / The National

Sanna Backstrom, communications manager for Northvolt, said the company has grown from nothing to a functioning production facility in two years. Bardsley / The National

Carl-Erik Lagercrantz, chief executive of parent company Vargas, said Northvolt is a key part of the European transition to electric vehicles. AFP

Further investigations will take into account the fact “these people worked at the same workplace”, it added.

It said the third person “may have been exposed to a substance” and police “will be looking into this more closely”.

As a result of the deaths, Toyota – the world's largest car manufacturer – suspended the work of its service technicians at the factory, specialist magazine Dagens Arbete reported.

Northvolt said the three deaths in six months were a “tragic coincidence”.

It told AFP its internal investigation had found that the employees were not exposed to toxic substances and had not suffered any accidents.

Sweden's deputy employment minister Paulina Brandberg said it was “very important to get clarity on what happened”.

“It's terrible that three people have died after their work,” she told Sweden's TT news Agency.

Northvolt is a cornerstone of European attempts to catch up with China and the US in the production of battery cells, a crucial component of lower-emission cars.

Europe has been racing to produce more electric vehicles as part of its green transition, as the clock ticks down on an EU deadline to phase out the sale of fossil fuel-burning cars by 2035.