Northvolt, the Swedish maker of battery cells for electric vehicles, said on Thursday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., dealing a blow to Europe's hopes that its most developed battery player would reduce Western car makers' reliance on Chinese rivals.

Sweden's troubled battery maker Northvolt has applied for bankruptcy protection in the United States to enable it to restructure its debt and reorganise its business.

Swedish-based Northvolt, which was seen as one of Europe’s best shots at fighting off China’s electric vehicle battery supremacy, filed for bankruptcy yesterday. The company said in its Chapter 11 petition filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas that its “liquidity picture has become dire.”

Northvolt transformed in a matter of months from Europe's best shot at a homegrown electric-vehicle battery champion to a struggling company.

This move is part of a strategic effort to restructure debt, scale operations and secure a sustainable foundation for continued operations.

Northvolt, a Swedish maker of lithium-ion batteries that once was valued by venture capitalists at nearly $12 billion, has filed for bankruptcy. Why it matters This is a massive blow to Europe's EV manufacturing goals,

Northvolt has been seen as a cornerstone of European attempts to catch up with China and the United States in the production of battery cells, a crucial component of

"The company will continue to make deliveries to customers, while fulfilling obligations to critical vendors and payment of wages to employees," according to a statement from Northvolt. Read also: EU to back Trump on China trade pressure in exchange for Ukraine support Northvolt filed for bankruptcy in the U.