Ilika Technologies, a developer of all-solid-state batteries (ASSB), and Comau, a member of Stellantis, which supplies advanced industrial automation products and systems, have completed a one-year UK government-funded study into the machines and processes required to manufacture oxide electrolyte-based solid-state battery technology at a scale of 100MWh per year.
The two companies were awarded funding through the Automotive Transformation Fund, an Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) programme to support collaborative product and manufacturing process development and unlock routes to subsequent investment in scaled-up facilities.
Comau supported Ilika in developing both a lab scale and industrial manufacturing process with a specific focus in utilising existing technologies and machines that require small customisation – and reduced investment – for the customers. For technologies not available, Comau developed a number of conceptual processes and machines to be industrialised in a second phase of the project.
The study identified that the majority of ASSB cell production steps can be achieved on standard or lightly customised machine equipment currently used in the production of conventional liquid electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries. It also identified a number of process steps where specific ASSB machine development is required.
Both companies have now defined a roadmap to achieve mass production levels, with production scale-up to be done in three stages. The first step, currently underway, is to scale to 2MWh per year by the end of 2023. This will be achieved by enlarging its current facility in Hampshire, UK, using funds from a 2021 raise.
The Ilika-Comau funded-study focused on an 100MWh-level capability and the continuation of this work will feed into the second scale-up step. The third step, at GWh or ‘gigascale’, will take place once the 100MWh facility has been exercised.
According to John Coombes, managing director of Comau UK, the project aligns with Comau’s long-term strategy for solid-state battery production, validating a series of manufacturing steps that Comau has plans for in the future.
“This project represented an integral part of the Comau Journey in Electrification, developed with a joint team of the internal Battery Cells Global Competence Center, in Turin, and Comau UK,” said Coombes. “We are proud of the collaboration we have had with Ilika and the APC, and also the ability to demonstrate the value our capabilities can contribute in this field.”
Ilika’s Goliath ASSB technology for EVs reportedly has the potential to improve pack-level energy and power density, enabling fast charging below 20 minutes and operation to higher temperatures than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Graeme Purdy, Ilika CEO, said: “This project has successfully validated Ilika’s scale-up plans for its Goliath technology, highlighting some important cost-saving benefits at higher volume production levels that pave the way to gigawatt scale manufacturing.
“Working with Comau has delivered a robust plan to scale-up Ilika’s manufacturing capability for Goliath solid-state batteries to the next level.”
