Echion scales-up production of Mixed Niobium Oxide (XNO) battery materials to meet increasing commercial demand
Echion Technologies Ltd, Cambridge (“Echion”) is scaling-up manufacturing capacity to over 100kg batches for its Mixed Niobium Oxide (XNO), advanced battery materials. This follows the announcement in August 2020 of the availability of 3Ah multi-layer pouch cells for customer evaluations, which has spurred commercial interest in Echion’s materials.
Jean De La Verpilliere, CEO of Echion said: “After successful demonstration of our 6-min full charge commercial-format Li-ion cells, the company’s order books are filling-up with larger volume materials orders from cell manufacturers around the world who wish to carry out pilot-scale evaluations. Results from the scale-up project are very encouraging and our first four pilot customers will receive their first large-scale materials deliveries by April. We are very satisfied with the quality of the scaled-up materials, which have already been shown to make very high-performance electrodes.”
The scale up work was carried out through Project SATE which kicked off in November 2020. Project SATE is one of 27 winners of the 2020 Automotive Transformation Fund Feasibility Study Competition, funded by the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre and supported by Innovate UK, BEIS and the DTI.
“Many of our global customers have successfully performed kg scale evaluations of our high-performance anode materials and now wish to carry out pilot-level production tests requiring quantities of 100kg or more. To support this, we decided to carry out a specific project to conclusively prove that Echion’s materials can be reliably produced by subcontracted toll manufacturers, eliminating a barrier to servicing the high-volume battery markets which we are targeting” said Jean.
The project has also provided Echion with data important for quality control and process modelling capabilities Such knowledge will accelerate the scale up of future materials developed by Echion. “The results of this scale-up activity will result in a manufacturing strategy roadmap for how Echion and its partners could achieve 1, and thereafter 1000 metric tonnes-a-year production capability by the end of 2021 and 2025, respectively,” says Alex Groombridge, CTO of Echion.
If you are interested in evaluating Echion’s proprietary super-fast charging, Mixed Niobium Oxide anode materials, or have further enquiries about SATE, please get in touch via our website contact form.
About Echion Technologies Ltd
Spun-out from The University of Cambridge in 2017, Echion is a world-leading developer of advanced lithium-ion battery materials, whose products enable cell manufacturers to deliver cost-effective, fast-charging, high-energy density and long-life power cells for a wide range of markets including automotive, premium consumer electronics, and grid-storage applications.
Echion provides materials and battery cell manufacturers with packages of protected intellectual property, customisation options, materials synthesis and cell integration know-how and for different end-user markets.
About the Advanced Propulsion Centre
The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) accelerates the industrialisation of technologies which will help to realise net-zero emission vehicles within the automotive sector. This is at the heart of the UK Government’s commitment to end the country’s contribution to global warming by 2050.
Since its foundation in 2013, APC has funded 113 low-carbon projects, involving more than 290 partners. The technologies developed in these projects are projected to save over 225 million tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of removing the lifetime emissions from 8.8 million cars.
APC projects have helped generate economic benefits too. Companies involved have seen turnover increases of 14–17%, with new jobs increasing by 8–10%. Together these have generated a 17% Gross Value Added uplift.
With its deep sector expertise and cutting-edge knowledge of new propulsion technologies, APC’s role in building and advising project consortia helps projects start quickly and deliver more value. In the longer term, its work to drive innovation and encourage collaboration is building the foundations for a successful UK industry.
In 2019 the UK Government created the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) to accelerate the development of a net-zero vehicle supply chain, enabling UK-based manufacturers to serve global markets. ATF investments are awarded through APC to support strategically important capital and R&D investments in the UK that will help companies involved in batteries, motors and drives, power electronics, fuel cells and recycling to anchor their future in the UK.
To find out more about the APC, visit www.apcuk.co.uk
About InnovateUK
Innovate UK drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.
We connect businesses to the partners, customers and investors that can help them turn ideas into commercially successful products and services and business growth.
To find out more about InnovateUK, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-uk