STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden’s Northvolt has struck a deal that gives the cash-strapped battery maker access to a small amount of money while talks on a bigger financing package continue, business daily DI reported on Wednesday, citing unidentified sources.
The cash was only expected to last for a few weeks at most, allowing the company to pay wages on Friday, the report said.
Northvolt did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The group has in a matter of months gone from being Europe’s best shot at a home-grown electric vehicle battery champion to racing to stay afloat by slimming down and cutting jobs, hobbled by production problems, sluggish demand and Chinese competition.
Northvolt could announce a financing package of more than $300 million before the end of October that would give it enough funds until next year, a person with direct knowledge of the company’s plans told Reuters on Monday.
The company has said in recent weeks that it was in talks with investors and lenders to secure funding and making significant progress towards a deal.
But even $300 million would be far less than the 15 billion crowns ($1.4 billion) that Swedish media reported Northvolt was aiming for a few months ago, or even a scaled-back ambition of 7.5 billion crowns reported last month.
($1 = 10.6026 Swedish crowns)
(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Marie Mannes; Editing by Terje Solsvik and Mark Potter)
