The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) has awarded the prestigious Håkan Frisinger Prize for Excellence in Transportation Research 2025 to Dr. Björn Nykvist, Senior Research Fellow and Team Leader in Energy and Industrial Transitions at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
The award recognizes Nykvist’s interdisciplinary and influential research into the electrification of transport, particularly his work on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and their role in driving climate policy and transforming energy systems. The prize includes an individual honorarium of SEK 300,000 and a SEK 500,000 grant for a guest researcher period at Lund University.
Awarded annually, the Håkan Frisinger Prize celebrates outstanding contributions by transport researchers based in Nordic institutions. According to VREF, Nykvist’s work exemplifies the prize’s purpose: combining academic excellence with real-world relevance to benefit industry, policymaking, and society at large.
Nykvist has built a reputation for bridging disciplines—engineering physics, psychology, environmental, and social sciences—to explore complex socio-technical systems and policy frameworks for sustainable transport. His 2015 paper in Nature Climate Change on rapidly declining battery costs is considered seminal, having reshaped global understanding of BEV feasibility and accelerated international momentum toward electrification.
“Björn Nykvist embodies the spirit of the Håkan Frisinger Prize,” said Henrik Nolmark, Director of VREF. “His ability to connect rigorous scientific inquiry with direct policy relevance, particularly in the vital area of transport electrification, is of great importance for a sustainable urban future.”
At Lund University, Nykvist will join the Division of Environmental and Energy Systems Studies, where he will continue developing interdisciplinary research and mentor the next generation of sustainability scholars.
“This is a welcome and strong recognition of Björn Nykvist’s pivotal research and a great opportunity to deepen our collaboration on more sustainable and electrified transports,” said Lars J. Nilsson, Head of the Department of Technology and Society at Lund University.
In addition to his academic work, Nykvist is also recognized for engaging with the public through policy briefs, reports, and media commentary, ensuring that his research informs both political debate and societal transition.
“Research that bridges disciplines and supports evidence-based policymaking is more important than ever,” said Nykvist in response to the award. “I am honoured to receive the Håkan Frisinger Prize and grateful that VREF supports this kind of work.”
The recipient of the Håkan Frisinger Prize is selected through a rigorous process involving an expert panel, the VREF Scientific Council, and final approval by the VREF Board.
