Norway's Statkraft takes majority stake in electric vehicle charging firm
|
Fredrik Nordin (left) and Kristoffer Thoner. Photos: Statkraft
|
Norwegian state-owned utility Statkraft is taking a 51% stake in Swedish electric vehicle charging firm, Bee Charging Solutions, as Sweden sees an increasing take-up of battery-powered cars.
A Statkraft spokesperson told World Battery News that Bee will merge with Statkraft’s smaller, existing Swedish charging business, Grøn Kontakt, to be operated under the name Mer Sweden – run by Bee’s current CEO Fredrik Nordin.
Mer Sweden will be integrated into Mer’s portfolio of charging companies in Norway, Germany and the UK, the spokesperson said.
Existing Bee shareholders Öresundkraft, Jämtkraft and Tekniska Verken will keep a 49% stake in Bee, which is one of the leading charging companies in Sweden with more than 2,000 public charging points and an estimated market share of 15-20%.
'Further expansion'
The transaction is subject to the approval of the competition authorities and closing is expected to take place in the second quarter of this year.
Statkraft said it is also considering "further expansion” under the leadership of new group CEO, Kristoffer Thoner.
Sweden ranked fourth in EV market share in a snapshot report of selected countries published last June by the International Energy Agency.
Meanwhile, Swedish battery sector activity is increasing. Last September, Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer, Northvolt, announced it was raising a further $600m (£466m) in new equity in a private placement to build battery gigafactories in Sweden and Germany.
And transport company Scania announced plant to build a lithium-ion battery assembly plant in Sweden, as the firm ramps up expansion of its electrified range of trucks, buses and engines.
Related articles in our archive:
Scania invests in Sweden battery assembly plant using cells from Northvolt
A Statkraft spokesperson told World Battery News that Bee will merge with Statkraft’s smaller, existing Swedish charging business, Grøn Kontakt, to be operated under the name Mer Sweden – run by Bee’s current CEO Fredrik Nordin.
Mer Sweden will be integrated into Mer’s portfolio of charging companies in Norway, Germany and the UK, the spokesperson said.
Existing Bee shareholders Öresundkraft, Jämtkraft and Tekniska Verken will keep a 49% stake in Bee, which is one of the leading charging companies in Sweden with more than 2,000 public charging points and an estimated market share of 15-20%.
'Further expansion'
The transaction is subject to the approval of the competition authorities and closing is expected to take place in the second quarter of this year.
Statkraft said it is also considering "further expansion” under the leadership of new group CEO, Kristoffer Thoner.
Sweden ranked fourth in EV market share in a snapshot report of selected countries published last June by the International Energy Agency.
Meanwhile, Swedish battery sector activity is increasing. Last September, Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer, Northvolt, announced it was raising a further $600m (£466m) in new equity in a private placement to build battery gigafactories in Sweden and Germany.
And transport company Scania announced plant to build a lithium-ion battery assembly plant in Sweden, as the firm ramps up expansion of its electrified range of trucks, buses and engines.
Related articles in our archive:
Scania invests in Sweden battery assembly plant using cells from Northvolt