Lead free automotive SLI power

Project Information

LEFAPO

Grant agreement ID: 697234

DOI 10.3030/697234

Closed project

EC signature date 19 January 2016

Start date 1 December 2015

End date 31 August 2018

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials

Total cost € 3 608 500,00

EU contribution € 2 525 950,00

Coordinated by

OLIFE CORPORATION AS
Czechia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - LEFAPO (Lead free automotive SLI power)

Reporting period: 2016-12-01 to 2018-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Introduction
Car manufacturers are facing increasing environmental demands. These include the need to reduce CO2 emissions, a ban on the use of hazardous materials, and at the same time, the increasing energy consumption of modern cars.

Conventional lead-acid starting batteries have difficulties, due to their technological limitations, in meeting these challenges. In addition, they do not fully support car start-stop systems. Furthermore, start-stop systems significantly reduce the lifespans of lead-acid starting batteries. This increases not just overall battery costs but also amount of ecologically harmful waste.

Generally, the use of lead is banned by legislation applicable in the EU. Its usage in lead acid batteries is only possible due to an exemption laid down by the End of Life Directive. The exemption may be revised only when an alternative solution is available.

Goals
Olife has been developing a revolutionary lithium car starting battery that is a milestone in the evolution of the SLI batteries. It is the first full ecologic substitute to lead-acid batteries. It reduces hazardous waste by being completely lead-acid free and offers a significantly longer life span. It also reduces CO2 emissions and fuel consumption thanks to a lower weight and better usage in start-stop systems. Due to the technology, a high charge acceptance and negligible self-discharge characteristics there is less need for charging (saving car generator run-time) which further lowers energy consumption.

Olife´s goals are to complete the development and to demonstrate an industrial readiness and maturity for the primary market introduction - OEM, to build a brand awareness, to develop communication and dissemination activities for both the primary market and the aftermarket. This will be achieved by: 1) testing, modification and finalisation of the product development for the OEM market, 2) communication and dissemination activities, and 3) protection of intellectual property.

Olifes´ activities should actively contribute to cancellation of the Exemption 5 of the End of Life Vehicle Directive which will result in the complete ban of lead (heavy metal) use in car starting batteries in Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Olife has successfully completed the development of a state-of-the-art product (a lead-free car starting battery). It’s a unique multilevel safety solution combines electronic and mechanical safety. The product was designed with regard to ISO 26262. The battery is ready to be launched on the market.
Based on the final product testing, Olife´s technology has demonstrated superior performance characteristics, succeeded in abuse testing as well as in extreme conditions environment testing.
The product is equipped with an “open” communication platform. It sets-up permanent communication between the battery and the on-board computer. In addition, the platform structure enables to modify the communication interface based on car manufacturers’ specifications.

Generally, it is expected that the final battery might be further tailor-made in response to car manufacturers’ requirements (for example the volume and value of data uploaded from the battery, placement of the battery in the car, battery temperature exposure – cooling or pre-heating etc.).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Environmental impact
The LCA (life-cycle, eco-balance and cradle-to-grave analysis) study fully proved that: (i) Olife´s technology contains no toxic materials (it is fully lead and acid free technology), (ii) produces less waste material due to approx. 3 times longer life span compared to conventional lead acid batteries, (iii) the battery cells could be secondary used in stationary energy storages for another approx. 20 years, (iv) reduces CO2 output thanks to very low value of self-discharge and better charge acceptance (high charge efficiency, (v) further CO2 output reduction is related to its lower weight - the total CO2 emissions related to the battery weight is about 0.44 gCO2/km for a battery weight of 10.5 kg. The battery is fully compliant with the RoHS and RoHS 2 directives.