The news comes from the American tech site The Information, which reports that Lyten has been forced to lay off 45 of its 300 employees. The cuts, which have affected parts of the research department, are reportedly due to the costs of running Northvolt's former factory in Gdańsk, Poland.
Lyten is investing in lithium-sulfur batteries, an experimental technology that has begun to be used in applications such as military drones. According to The Information, the company, like many others in the industry, has shifted its focus from electric cars to other areas of use, including AI data centers, energy storage, drones, and robots.
In addition to the Gdańsk factory, Lyten acquired Northvolt's subsidiary Cuberg in California last November. In December, the company received preliminary approval for a $650 million loan from the US Export-Import Bank, funds that could be directed towards the factories in California and a planned factory in Nevada, USA.
Lyten has also reportedly made a bid for Northvolt's main factory in Skellefteå. Lyten's marketing manager, Keith Norman, told The Information that the lay-offs are part of a reorganisation following the purchase of Northvolt's factories and that the company is now focused on quickly scaling up its European production.