In the final year of the project, Batteries Europe has reinforced the engagement of the entire European Battery R&I community by consolidating its role as a central actor of the ecosystem since its inception in 2019, animating an inclusive and well-represented network of stakeholders through publications, participation in key fora, and the organization of flagship events such as the yearly Plenary Sessions ( two editions under RP3: 2024 and 2025), the co-organization of Battery Innovation Days 2024, and representation at the RTR Conference 2025 in collaboration with BEPA and Battery2030+. Alongside this, efforts were directed at consolidating and developing synergies across the EU Battery R&I community through monthly coordination meetings with BEPA, Battery2030+, IPCEIs, and EBA250, as well as joint participation in several high-level European events, delivering the strong message of a shared European research and innovation mission. In line with the objective to reduce time to market of technologies and improve competitiveness, the third edition of KPIs Benchmarking, the Guidelines on Common Reporting Methodologies, and the Batteries Europe Roadmap 2025 were delivered, offering policymakers, industry, and researchers a robust evidence base to align strategies and accelerate innovation. Cross-disciplinary collaboration was strengthened with the organization of six thematic workshops in June 2024 on digitalization, education and skills, safety, sustainability, social sciences and humanities, and hybridization, engaging over 200 participants and creating new opportunities for collaboration across initiatives and sectors. To ensure open access to knowledge, the Batteries Europe website was further enhanced into a comprehensive “one-stop shop,” featuring a new directory of EU-funded projects, networks, and national battery programmes, thanks to the support of NRCG members. Talent attraction and skills development were supported through a dedicated Task Force, which, building on earlier position papers, organized the workshop “European Battery Education: Bridging Gaps for a Sustainable Future” in June 2024, fostering dialogue on reskilling, vocational training, and cross-industry knowledge transfer essential to meet the sector’s needs toward 2030. Finally, on the international front, Batteries Europe continued to update and expand its Fact Sheets and, together with BEPA and EBA250, undertook a fact-finding mission to North America in October 2024, culminating in Deliverable D5.3 with recommendations to the European Commission on rethinking R&D funding, strengthening collaboration with like-minded countries, and improving coordination of EU research activities. Altogether, these activities have reinforced Europe’s strategic, scientific, and industrial leadership in batteries, laying a solid foundation for the future development of a cost-competitive and sustainable European battery value chain.
