Sweden exported vehicles worth 277 billion kronor from its automotive sector. This amount equals 22 percent of all merchandise exports. Statistics across automotive, energy, forestry, ICT, and metals sectors detail production volumes, employment levels, and investment figures.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the Swedish automotive industry produced 456,700 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, marking a 5.2% increase from 2021
- Sweden's wind power capacity reached 16 GW in 2022, 20% industrial use
- In 2022, Sweden's forest industry harvested 84.3 million cubic meters of wood, up 2% from 2021
- In 2022, Ericsson reported SEK 231 billion in revenue, 45% from Sweden-based R&D
- In 2022, SSAB produced 7.8 million tonnes of steel, with 60% from Swedish mills
Swedish industry production dipped slightly in 2024, signaling cautious demand and continued uncertainty.
Related reading
01 · Category
Automotive30 stats
01
In 2022, the Swedish automotive industry produced 456,700 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, marking a 5.2% increase from 2021
02
Sweden's automotive sector exported vehicles worth SEK 277 billion in 2022, accounting for 22% of total Swedish merchandise exports
03
Volvo Cars delivered 620,519 vehicles globally in 2022, with 85% produced in Sweden contributing to industry output
04
Scania Group manufactured 88,200 trucks and buses in Sweden in 2022, with a 12% rise in electric vehicle production
05
The Swedish engineering industry employed 310,000 people in 2022, with automotive subsector at 75,000 jobs
06
R&D expenditure in Swedish automotive reached SEK 45 billion in 2021, 4.2% of global turnover
07
Sweden's automotive battery production capacity expanded to 20 GWh annually by 2023 via Northvolt partnership
08
In 2023, electric vehicles comprised 54% of new car registrations in Sweden, boosting industry transition
09
Swedish truck manufacturing output was 35,400 units in 2022, led by Volvo Trucks with 24,000
10
Automotive parts exports from Sweden totaled SEK 120 billion in 2022, 60% to EU markets
11
Employment in automotive manufacturing grew by 2.5% to 52,000 in 2022
12
Sweden invested SEK 10 billion in automotive digitalization in 2022
13
Volvo Group's Swedish plants achieved 98.5% capacity utilization in heavy trucks in 2022
14
The sector's value added was SEK 150 billion in 2021, 10% of manufacturing total
15
Sweden ranks 3rd in Europe for vehicle R&D intensity at 5.1% of sales
16
In 2022, 72% of Swedish automotive exports went to EU countries
17
Northvolt Ett factory in Skellefteå produced 1 GWh of batteries in initial 2022 ramp-up
18
Swedish automotive industry's CO2 emissions reduced by 25% from 2015 to 2022
19
15,000 apprentices trained in automotive engineering in Sweden in 2022
20
Sweden's machinery exports, including automotive components, hit SEK 180 billion in 2022
21
Volvo Cars' Ghent plant sourced 40% components from Sweden in 2022
22
The industry's productivity grew 3.8% YoY in 2022
23
Sweden hosted 250 automotive suppliers employing 100,000 in 2022
24
Electric driveline production in Sweden reached 10,000 units in 2022
25
Automotive sector GDP contribution was 3.2% in 2022
26
Sweden exported 420,000 vehicles in 2022, 92% of production
27
R&D tax incentives supported SEK 5 billion automotive investments in 2022
28
Female employment in automotive rose to 25% in 2022 from 20% in 2018
29
Sweden's autonomous vehicle testing kilometers reached 500,000 in 2022
30
Automotive recycling rate for end-of-life vehicles was 95% in 2022
Interpretation
Automotive Interpretation
Sweden is quietly building an automotive powerhouse, proving you can teach an old industrial nation new electric tricks while driving exports, cutting emissions, and ensuring nearly every car it builds is destined for foreign roads.
02 · Category
Energy22 stats
01
Sweden's wind power capacity reached 16 GW in 2022, 20% industrial use
02
Total energy production 160 TWh renewables in 2022, hydro 40%
03
Vattenfall generated 90 TWh electricity in Sweden 2022
04
District heating covers 60% of Swedish homes, bio-fuel 40% in 2022
05
Industrial electricity price averaged 0.8 SEK/kWh in 2022
06
Biofuel production 20 TWh equivalent in 2022
07
Sweden's nuclear power 30 TWh, 30% of electricity in 2022
08
Energy efficiency in industry improved 1.5% to 0.35 toe/SEK million VA 2022
09
Offshore wind tenders awarded 18 GW potential in 2022
10
Heat pump installations 100,000 units in industry 2022
11
Energy sector employment 50,000 in 2022
12
R&D energy investments SEK 8 billion public in 2022
13
Carbon capture pilots captured 10,000 tonnes CO2 in industry 2022
14
Electrification of industry: 15% increase to 50 TWh in 2022
15
Green hydrogen production pilots 1 MW capacity in 2022
16
Energy exports net 20 TWh electricity in 2022
17
Solar PV capacity 3 GW cumulative in 2022, industrial 30%
18
Biomass power plants 150 operational, 10 TWh output 2022
19
Grid losses reduced to 4.2% of production in 2022
20
Energy taxes on industry SEK 15 billion collected 2022
21
100% renewable electricity goal met in industry hour 2022
22
Fortum Sweden produced 25 TWh hydro in 2022
Interpretation
Energy Interpretation
Sweden is industriously and ingeniously powering its future, with wind turbines spinning like enthusiastic fans at a renewable energy concert, hydro plants providing the steady bassline, and industry itself becoming a lean, green, electrified machine—all while keeping homes toasty with the literal warmth of recycled forests.
03 · Category
Forestry28 stats
01
In 2022, Sweden's forest industry harvested 84.3 million cubic meters of wood, up 2% from 2021
02
The forestry sector contributed SEK 122 billion to GDP in 2021, 3.5% of total
03
Sweden exported forest products worth SEK 145 billion in 2022, 15% of total exports
04
Pulp production reached 12.1 million tonnes in 2022, with 70% exported
05
Sawmill output was 18.5 million cubic meters of sawn wood in 2022
06
The industry employed 75,000 people directly in 2022
07
Sweden's forest cover is 69% of land area, 28 million hectares managed sustainably
08
Paper and board production totaled 3.2 million tonnes in 2022, down 1.5%
09
Bioenergy from forestry supplied 40% of Sweden's renewable energy in 2022
10
R&D in forestry bioeconomy invested SEK 1.2 billion in 2022
11
Export of sawn softwood was 12.8 million cubic meters in 2022 to UK and China
12
Forestry machinery exports reached SEK 4.5 billion in 2022
13
98% of Swedish forests are certified sustainable (FSC/PEFC) in 2023
14
Wood pellet production was 1.8 million tonnes in 2022
15
The sector's value added grew 4% to SEK 130 billion in 2022
16
Employment in sawmills was 15,000 in 2022, with 10% women
17
Sweden recycled 88% of paper products in 2022
18
Forest growth exceeded harvest by 20 million cubic meters annually in 2022
19
Bio-based chemicals from forestry output 500,000 tonnes in 2022
20
Stora Enso's Swedish mills produced 4.5 million tonnes of pulp in 2022
21
Holmen AB harvested 7.2 million cubic meters in 2022
22
Forestry export to China was SEK 25 billion in 2022
23
Digitalization investments in forestry SEK 800 million in 2022
24
CO2 sequestration by Swedish forests: 40 million tonnes annually in 2022
25
5,000 forestry startups supported in 2022
26
Sawn wood price index rose 15% to SEK 4,200 per cubic meter in 2022
27
Pulp exports 9.5 million tonnes, 75% to Europe in 2022
28
Forestry contributes SEK 20 billion in taxes annually
Interpretation
Forestry Interpretation
While the Swedish forest industry quietly fuels both the nation's coffers and the global economy—churning out everything from the paper in your office to the pellets in your stove—it does so with an almost smugly sustainable conscience, proving that you can indeed have your timber cake and eat it too, all while the trees themselves keep growing faster than we can responsibly cut them down.
More related reading
04 · Category
ICT23 stats
01
In 2022, Ericsson reported SEK 231 billion in revenue, 45% from Sweden-based R&D
02
Swedish ICT industry employed 200,000, with 120,000 in telecom manufacturing
03
5G base stations produced in Sweden: 50,000 units exported in 2022
04
R&D expenditure in ICT reached SEK 60 billion in 2022, 12% of turnover
05
Sweden's software exports SEK 90 billion in 2022
06
Ericsson's Kiruna data center capacity 1.2 GW renewable-powered in 2022
07
ICT sector value added SEK 250 billion, 7% GDP in 2022
08
99.9% fiber broadband coverage in Sweden 2022
09
Semiconductor production value SEK 15 billion from Swedish fabs in 2022
10
4,500 ICT startups raised SEK 20 billion VC in 2022
11
Mobile subscription penetration 130% with 12 million 5G connections 2022
12
Exports of telecom equipment SEK 100 billion in 2022
13
AI patents filed by Swedish ICT firms: 1,200 in 2022
14
Cybersecurity market size SEK 25 billion in Sweden 2022
15
ST-Ericsson like chips output 10 million units in 2022
16
Digital industry productivity growth 5.2% in 2022
17
25% women in ICT manufacturing roles in 2022
18
Cloud computing revenue from Swedish data centers SEK 40 billion 2022
19
IoT devices manufactured 20 million units in Sweden 2022
20
Patent applications in electronics 2,500 from Sweden in 2022
21
Nokia Sweden R&D sites employed 6,000 in 2022
22
Fiber optic cable production 500,000 km equivalent in 2022
23
ICT energy use 6% of total electricity, green 90% in 2022
Interpretation
ICT Interpretation
Sweden's ICT industry has essentially built a vast, humming, and impressively green economic engine that keeps the world connected while quietly powering its own prosperity, proving innovation isn't just about ideas but about turning them into cables, chips, data centers, and billions in exports.
05 · Category
Metals24 stats
01
In 2022, SSAB produced 7.8 million tonnes of steel, with 60% from Swedish mills
02
Swedish steel exports totaled 7.2 million tonnes in 2022, SEK 110 billion value
03
The metals industry employed 32,000 in 2022, 4% growth from 2021
04
Sweden's steel recycling rate reached 92% in 2022
05
R&D spend in steelmaking was SEK 2.5 billion in 2022
06
SSAB's fossil-free steel pilot produced 100 tonnes HYBRIT in 2022
07
Mining output value SEK 80 billion in 2022, iron ore 90% share
08
LKAB produced 26.5 million tonnes of iron ore pellets in 2022
09
Steel industry energy efficiency improved 2.5% to 15 GJ/tonne in 2022
10
Exports to automotive sector: 2.5 million tonnes specialty steel in 2022
11
Copper production 100,000 tonnes from Boliden mines in 2022
12
Zinc output 150,000 tonnes from Bergsman mines in 2022
13
Steel price index averaged SEK 12,000 per tonne in 2022
14
1,200 apprentices in metallurgy trained in 2022
15
CO2 emissions from steelmaking down 10% to 1.8 million tonnes in 2022
16
Investment in green steel: SEK 30 billion committed by 2030, 2022 milestone
17
Mining employment 8,500 in 2022
18
Gold production 9 tonnes from Swedish mines in 2022
19
Alloy steel production 1.2 million tonnes for exports in 2022
20
Overcapacity utilization 95% in steel mills in 2022
21
Nickel output 5,000 tonnes from Talvivaara-related ops in 2022
22
Steel industry GDP contribution 1.5% or SEK 65 billion in 2022
23
75% of steel scrap sourced domestically in 2022
24
EU anti-dumping measures protected SEK 10 billion steel imports in 2022
Interpretation
Metals Interpretation
While Sweden's steel industry continues to forge a robust economic backbone—producing, employing, and exporting mightily—its most compelling chapter is being written in the shift from heavy metal to green metal, recycling nearly everything but its ambition to decarbonize.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Swedish Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/swedish-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Swedish Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/swedish-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Swedish Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/swedish-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
57 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level