Project description
New gellified cell concept for high-voltage applications
The lithium-ion battery (LIB) market is a rapidly growing industry that supplies rechargeable batteries for a wide range of applications, from portable electronics to electric vehicles. The EU-funded NEXTCELL project aims to develop a groundbreaking gellified cell concept for high capacity and high-voltage LIBs. Led by the electric vehicle industry, with key industry manufacturers along the value chain involved, NEXTCELL’s approach will address three key parameters hindering the greater market penetration of LIBs: costs, safety and sustainability. The ultimate goal of the project is to fast-track the commercialisation of the novel cell design and its new components, providing Europe with cutting-edge third generation LIBs while meeting the industry’s increasing demands for cost reduction, user-friendliness, and safety.
Objective
The Li-ion battery (LIB) market is now entering a period where energy density improvements and cost reductions are levelling off for the current generation 3a. To continue with this trend while keeping pace with the increasing industry demands for cost reduction, user-friendliness of electric vehicles and safety, breakthrough innovations at material level and cell design are needed. Within this context, NEXTCELL overarching goal is to provide a new 3b LIB cell generation for both high capacity and high voltage applications developing and validating a ground-breaking gellified cell concept.
The project workplan revolves around a three dimension-based methodology: (i) Prototyping the gellified cell concept up to TRL6 (20Ah), (ii) Modelling the gellified cell concept, and (iii) Evaluation of technical, safety, sustainability, and costs improvements.
NEXTCELL’s approach will not only provide Europe with cutting edge 3b cells but will also tackle three key parameters hindering a greater market penetration of LIBs technology: (i) Costs: optimising its manufacturing processes, reducing capital and operating costs of future Giga-factories by avoiding evaporation of solvents and the electrolyte-filling step. (ii) Safety: Producing intrinsically safe cells, avoiding the presence of low boiling point components in cell components. (iii) Sustainability: Reducing energy consumption by 50% against SoA and avoiding the use of toxic organic solvents (NMP).
The project is led by the electric vehicle industry, from the project coordination by FEV (leading vehicle and powertrain international service provider) to key industry manufacturers along the value chain, such as SOLVAY (polymer, binders, and separators), ABEE (cathode production), VARTA (LIB manufacturer) or CRF (research centre for the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group). Thus, NEXTCELL has a solid determination towards fast and successful commercialisation of the novel cell design and its new components after the project.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
52078 Aachen
Germany
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Participants (19)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
78197 SAINT QUENTIN EN YVELINES
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
52078 Aachen
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9400 NINOVE
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1120 Bruxelles / Brussel
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78120 Rambouillet
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
46022 Valencia
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10129 Torino
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7034 Trondheim
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4200-465 Porto
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01510 Minano Alava
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75015 PARIS 15
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8020 GRAZ
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10043 Orbassano
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5060 SAMBREVILLE
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1000 Ljubljana
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28013 Madrid
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
85049 Ingolstadt
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1000 Bruxelles / Brussel
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
38000 Grenoble
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