Ioncor, Valmet Automotive’s battery business that was spun off in 2024 and has since been partially nationalised, is presenting its new Energy Pack Long cell-to-pack battery system for electric buses. It has a capacity of 79 kWh per pack, and several packs can be combined to form large batteries.
Ioncor presents the Energy Pack Long, a battery system that does not require modules thanks to its cell-to-pack approach. The solution operates at 666 volts and, thanks to its modular architecture, can be scaled to total capacities between 79 and 1,000 kWh. According to Roberts Abele, CEO of Ioncor, the new system achieves ‘industry-leading energy density, making it suitable for integration into a variety of bus platforms.’ Specifically, an energy density of 290 Wh/l or 160 Wh/kg is specified.
The dimensions of the 79 kWh pack unit are stated as 194.6 x 55.8 x 24.9 centimetres, with an operating temperature range of -30 to +60 degrees Celsius. Ioncor also emphasises the ease of integration of the batteries, as they can be flexibly distributed at the vehicle level and mounted in multiple directions. According to the manufacturer, the system is also designed for long life cycles (>7,000) and supports fast charging at a charging rate of 3C. This should allow the battery to be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 25 minutes. The system is available “with various chemical options to meet [customers’] operational requirements,” according to the Finnish company. They describe the cells as ‘large-volume’ without going into further detail at this point.
Ioncor emphasises that the new product is the latest addition to the Energy Pack family. A basic version (with 50 kWh) is already available. Ioncor’s expertise in building battery systems has also been identified as a major added value by the Finnish government. In view of the tense geopolitical situation with a 1,300-kilometre-long direct border with Russia, Finland has therefore recently announced the partial nationalisation of Ioncor and supplier and contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive.
The two companies are closely related, as Ioncor is Valmet’s battery business, which was spun off in 2024. Through several transactions, the state will now have a say in both entities: Valmet will be 79 per cent state-owned in future. Ioncor will soon be 70 per cent owned by the state-owned Finnish Minerals Group. The remaining ownership will be shared between Varma (16 per cent) and Pontos (14 per cent). In addition, the state has committed to investing around €20 million in new capital in Ioncor.
Last year, Valmet decided to make its three business areas more independent from one another. This led to the creation of Ioncor as an independent subsidiary for the battery system business, alongside the parent company’s traditional contract manufacturing business and RKS (Roof & Kinematic Systems), which focuses on roof and kinematic systems and operates in Poland and Germany. Incidentally, RKS’s business activities are to remain unaffected by the new ownership structure.
Ioncor, meanwhile, is now set to become an “integral part of the Finnish battery value chain” and strengthen the investment portfolio of the state-owned Finnish Minerals Group (FMG) – “particularly in the downstream areas of the value chain in the fields of research and development and production of battery systems,” as was stated in September. Roberts Abele remains CEO of the battery company.
“FMG’s strategic objective is to develop a responsible battery value chain in Finland and to drive the creation of a new industry and expertise in the country,” explained Matti Hietanen, CEO of FMG. “IONCOR fits perfectly with our special mission and strategy, as battery engineering and battery system manufacturing are an essential addition to our portfolio downstream in the domestic battery value chain.” Ioncor currently develops and manufactures battery solutions for buses, trucks, other commercial vehicles and the automotive industry. According to the company, it employs around 1,000 people in Finland (in Salo and Uusikaupunki) and Germany (Kirchardt).
ioncor-batteries.com, ioncor-batteries.com (data sheet), mineralsgroup.fi (Hietanen statement)
