12 ‘revolutionary’ EV battery schemes to benefit from £22m government fund

A project which hopes to deliver high-speed solid state charging for EV vehicles is one of 12 projects to win government funding, as part of the latest round of funding through the Faraday Battery Challenge.

The PowerDrive Line project being led by Southampton-based company Ilika is focusing on how to manufacture solid-state batteries at scale in the UK and how to build technology that will charge a vehicle in less than 25 minutes.

In total £22m will be given to fund research, innovation and scale-up facilities for batteries that support an electrified economy, which it says should lower carbon and help to tackle air pollution while creating new opportunities and industries.

Other projects receiving funding include:

• a new approach to battery management led by Williams Advanced Engineering.
• a McLaren Automotive led consortium project that aims to accelerate the development of electrified powertrains.
• a battery recycling project that will develop the first UK industrial scale capability to reclaim and reuse battery essential metals. This project is being led by Cheshire-based ICoNiChem and involves Jaguar Land Rover.
• an Aston Martin Lagonda project into the development of better performance battery packs.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: ‘Innovative battery technology is changing the way we live, travel and work and the Government is committed to putting Britain at the heart of this energy revolution.

‘Today’s £22 million investment in world-leading R&D projects is an example of our modern Industrial Strategy in action and will help pioneering companies realise the economic benefits the global transition to a low carbon economy offers.’ he added.

UK Research and Innovation chief executive Professor Sir Mark Walport said: ‘Effective, efficient and sustainable transport is key to addressing so many of today’s challenges from industrial growth to social inclusion.

‘Through advanced battery technology, we will unlock a new generation of electric vehicles, further improving vehicle performance and uptake, opening doors to innovative new transport ideas and significantly reducing environmental impacts.

‘Today’s investment shows we are catalysing collaboration between research teams and commercial partners across the UK to make this a reality.’

The Faraday Battery Challenge is part of the Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Government have pledged £246m to support the development of new battery technologies.