SmartCell Extended Demonstrator
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Volvo Personvagnar AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 8 137 500 |
| Project duration | November 2025 - May 2027 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Venture | Call for proposals - Scaling up the sustainable battery value chain |
| Call | Scaling up for a sustainable battery value chain |
Purpose and goal
The aim is to create a Demonstrator of the SmartCell concept to enable further development and industrialisation. Electric vehicles are a viable alternative to combustion engines, however, reducing costs remains key to broader adoption. Volvo Cars’ SmartCell, an alternating-current battery technology, marks a breakthrough in electric vehicle development by significantly reducing CO2 emissions and costs through a simplified value chain, eliminating components like On-board charger and Inverters.
Expected effects and result
SmartCell a combination of modular multilevel converters and cells for the propulsion and power supply and a new way of managing the communication and steering of and between the cells on a granular level. This can compete with high-tech advances from American and Chinese OEMs and strengthen industry collaboration and the regional value chain. The project aims to develop/build a demonstrator to verify the concept, with long-term ambitions to use the technology in all future Volvo Cars vehicles.
Planned approach and implementation
The project plan is based on 5 work package with duration between Nov 15 2025 to May 2027. The WP1-4 are in sequence and the WP0 extends throughout the project´s time table. WP0 Project Management, Admin & System Engineering WP1 Design of Demonstrator WP2 Material order, Component manufacturing at suppliers WP3 Assembly of Demonstrator battery pack WP4 Verification of Demonstrator battery pack