The HISTORY Project
Delivering next-generation battery innovations to power the UK’s EV industry
The challenge
The Electric Vehicle (EV) industry will play a crucial role as the UK works towards its ambitious net zero targets and the decarbonisation of its transportation sector. However, as more and more people transition to electric vehicles, technology must continue to evolve to drive the next generation of clean cars.
Efficient reliable batteries are vital to powering this bright new future. That’s why CPI is supporting solid-state battery (SSB) pioneer Ilika Technologies Ltd. in developing safer, more efficient alternatives to the lithium-ion batteries found in present electric vehicles.
The collaboration is part of the HISTORY Project, a group of industry and academic partners working together to deliver a new generation of solid-state batteries built specifically for EV manufacturers.
How CPI helped
- Contributed expertise in formulating slurries incorporating novel silicon-based materials and electrode manufacture.
- Optimisation of silicon anode formulations for enhanced processability and transfer to larger-scale manufacture.
- Facilitated the transfer of findings to commercial partners.
- Demonstrated the potential of Nexeon’s material and the incorporation of high-silicon content anodes into Ilika’s technology.
Achievements
- Developed anode formulations incorporating next-generation active materials.
- Produced electrodes with three-times the specific capacity of conventional electrodes.
- Demonstrated a route to scale up the formulation and coating process for roll-to-roll slot die coating.
Impact
Thanks to their solid electrolyte, SSBs deliver better performance due to their higher cell-to-pack ratio.
Ultimately, SSBs could lead to lighter vehicles with extended range and fast-charging capabilities. This will, in turn, make electric vehicles even more efficient, further reducing their environmental impact. It also has the potential to reduce the emissions involved in the supply and production of lithium-ion batteries, which can be harmful to the environment. With these two factors combined, it’s a technology with the potential to catalyse real change, helping to build a greener future through ever-more efficient electric vehicles.
Ilika is crucial in building the next generation of eco-friendly SSBs. In HISTORY, CPI has optimised the development of high silicon anode formulations, a complex but crucial step that needs to be overcome to create SSBs capable of powering electric vehicles.
A unique collaboration of industry and academic partners under the UKRI’s Faraday Battery Challenge, this project’s success demonstrates CPI’s ability to connect the dots in the innovation ecosystem to develop novel technologies that will cement the UK as a world leader in electric vehicles.
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