- Funding will be used to develop innovative battery manufacturing, demonstration, scale-up, and recycling projects.
- Projects involve cylindrical and pouch cell technologies; and will bring advanced Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) battery technology and a new Cathode Active Material (CAM) to the UK for the first time.
- Winning companies will be given the chance to scale-up their projects at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).
Small and medium sized (SME) battery developers from across the UK are to benefit from £1.5m in funding from the Faraday Battery Challenge (FBC), delivered by Innovate UK, to be spent on innovative battery manufacturing, demonstration, scale-up, and recycling projects.
The winners, which will each be given the chance to scale-up their projects at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), funded by FBC, were announced at the annual Battery Cells and Systems Expo, at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 15th – 16th May.
The companies will use the funding to support a range of scale-up journeys – from technological potential towards commercial capability. The funding will support cylindrical and pouch cell technologies, and will bring advanced Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) battery technology and a new Cathode Active Material (CAM) to the UK for the first time.
The successful companies were awarded the funding through the £610m FBC, which is delivering a research and innovation programme that covers “Lab to Factory” development, cutting-edge research, national scale-up infrastructure, and skills and training.
The winners are:
- Altilium – Plans to demonstrate manufacturing of battery cells at-scale using sustainable, low-carbon cathode active materials (CAM) from recycled end-of-life EV batteries from Altilium’s UK-based pilot CAM plant and EV battery recycling innovation centre in Plymouth;
- Nyobolt – Is commercialising ultra-fast charging, high power battery technologies for applications ranging from industrial to automotive and heavy duty off-highway. Nyobolt will build on experience gained during previous activity at UKBIC to optimise the quality and speed of manufacturing Nyobolt’s electrode material at giga-scale;
- Snapfast – The project will see Snapfast and Grinergy from South Korea transfer advanced LTO technology for pouch cell manufacturing to the UK. LTO batteries are long lasting, with up to 90% of the batteries recycled, do not suffer from thermal runaway, and are stable across a wide range of temperatures (-30°C to 60°C); and
- Volklec – Plans to develop and manufacture a 21700 cylindrical battery cells to meet the demands of the UK’s automotive market, in particular the diverse array of small volume and/or niche vehicle manufacturers. The cell development includes the introduction of a new CAM to the UK.
Tony Harper, Challenge Director for the FBC said:
“For the UK to fully prosper from the transition to electrification, we need to bring a range of battery technology through to industrial scale. These projects represent a great combination of outstanding home-grown solutions and the selective commercialisation of technology and materials from overseas where it benefits the UK. In supporting these organisations in their work at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, this funding will help demonstrate these innovations at industrial scale and rate proving value to customers and investors.”
Sean Gilgunn, Managing Director, UKBIC, added:
“We’re delighted that the Faraday Battery Challenge is once again supporting home-grown battery developers by offering funding for access to UKBIC and we firmly believe this scheme is critical to the development of UK electrification. A facility with capabilities which are constantly evolving, UKBIC is installing a new line to help bridge the gap between our existing scale-up line and kilogramme scale demonstrator lines already available elsewhere. These new capabilities will ensure we can benefit battery developers at all stages of their scale-up journeys.”
This latest funding builds on the SME Credit 1 competition in 2023, which saw Nyobolt and Addionics working with UKBIC to scale up their battery technologies in the facility in Coventry.
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Notes to editors
About UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)
The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) is the UK’s national manufacturing battery development facility, providing manufacturing scale-up and skills for the battery sector.
The facility is where businesses develop their battery manufacturing processes at the scale they need to move to industrial production and where those working in the industry can develop new skills by working ‘on the line’, alongside UKBIC’s specialist teams.
Created with an initial investment of £130m, an additional £74m has now been committed by UK Research and Innovation to enhance the facility by installing a new line to bridge the gap between its existing industrial scale-up line and kilogramme scale demonstrator lines available elsewhere. Funding is also being used to support the construction of a new battery development laboratory, a clean and dry space, and a space for cell characterisation.
Opened in July 2021, the Coventry-based facility, can be accessed by organisations with existing or new battery technology, or companies looking at entering the industry.
UKBIC is part of the £610m Faraday Battery Challenge, which is delivering a research and innovation programme that covers “Lab to Factory” development, cutting-edge research, national scale-up infrastructure, and skills and training.
UKBIC’s construction was part-funded through the West Midlands Combined Authority. The facility was delivered through a consortium of Coventry City Council, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and WMG, at the University of Warwick. UKBIC was created in 2018 following a competition led by the Advanced Propulsion Centre with support from Innovate UK.
About Innovate UK
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, is the UK’s innovation agency. It works to create a better future by inspiring, involving and investing in businesses developing life-changing innovations. Its mission is to help companies to grow through their development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.
About the Faraday Battery Challenge
The Faraday Battery Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, is a £610m UKRI Challenge Fund investment, delivering a mission-led, research and innovation programme that covers “Lab to Factory” development, cutting-edge research, national scale-up infrastructure, and skills and training. The FBC seeks to address market failures in road transport decarbonisation and to attract investors to the UK’s battery industry. By leveraging scientific strength, with our delivery partners: Faraday Institution, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) and Innovate UK, we are building an ecosystem that supports industry growth and ensures UK prosperity.
About UK Research and Innovation
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, with a budget of around £8bn. It is composed of seven disciplinary research councils, Innovate UK and Research England.
We operate across the whole country and work with our many partners in higher education, research organisations businesses, government, and charities.
Our vision is for an outstanding research and innovation system in the UK that gives everyone the opportunity to contribute and to benefit, enriching lives locally, nationally and internationally.
Our mission is to convene, catalyse and invest in close collaboration with others to build a thriving, inclusive research and innovation system that connects discovery to prosperity and public good.
