The battery-tech startup said it will cut 200 jobs in Stockholm, 400 in Västerås and 1,000 at its flagship factory in Skellefteå, subject to union negotiations, as it prioritizes commitments to its current automotive customers. In addition to laying off 25 per cent of its Swedish staff, the company said it will dismiss about 20 per cent of its headcount globally. (The Logic)

Talking point: It’s the latest in a string of austerity measures as the once-ballyhooed startup struggles to make good on its ambitious expansion plans. The company has not yet announced how an ongoing strategic review will affect plans to build a $7-billion plant near Montreal. Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has called for an emergency debate in the provincial legislature on the future of the project. Quebec’s government has so far given Northvolt a $270-million convertible debenture and $240 million in land, on top of $200 million from the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec last year.