Accelerating R&D for lithium-ion technology

The next major milestone in the further development of lithium-ion technology relates to the research and development of silicon-based anodes with the ultimate aim of transferring this technology into mass production - both for existing and larger cell formats.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) in Germany is providing financial backing for these projects. The European Union (EU) and the BMWi regard battery technology as a key technology, in particular with regard to the electrification of transport systems, while there are also other areas in which this technology will play a core role.

Consequently, the establishment of competitive battery cell production is classified as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) that will be granted the corresponding funding to ensure Europe’s competitive ability in this field. The EU has now notified the funding proposals, thereby opening the door to national funding provided by the BMWi.

Herbert Schein, CEO of VARTA, commented: “We are delighted that our project concept has resonated so well. In the coming years, VARTA AG is set to continue to benefit from increasing demand for top quality lithium-ion batteries with the highest power density over the coming years. To this end, our aim is to further develop our lithium-ion technology in targeted fashion to meet these specific demands, with a particular focus on integration within production processes.”