Lithium sulfur battery project aims for safer electric vehicles
The Lithium Sulphur for Safe Road Electrification (LISA) 43 month project starts on the 1st January 2019 and brings together 13 European partners including UK LiS cell maker OXIS Energy and car maker Renault.
Li-ion batteries are still the limiting factor for mass scale adoption of electric vehicles, and the project aims to tackle both the range issues and safety of the battery technology with hybrid solid state non-flammable electrolytes validated at 20Ah cell level. LISA will look to solve specific Li-S bottlenecks on metallic lithium protection, power rate and volumetric energy density; together with cost which is the main selection criteria for EV batteries. The sustainability of the technology will also be assessed from both an environmental and economic perspective on the supply of materials such as lithium.
The technology will be delivered ready for use with a state of charge estimator and battery pack integration. Today’s systems are half the weight of Li-ion and have only reached 10% of the theoretical energy density of 2600Wh/kg with prototype cells holding 250-300Wh/kg. Cells of 800Wh/l (600Wh/kg) are possible improving materials, components and manufacturing and the LISA project aims to work on lithium metal protection and solid state electrolyte with new process techniques that can be used in future manufacturing lines.
“The LISA project ties in perfectly with OXIS Energy’s future business strategy in entering into the electric automotive sector including trucks and buses. Continuing our collaborations with LEITAT, Arkema, Cranfield University, IWS Fraunhofer and Renault as well as working with new partners is an exciting prospect in taking OXIS technology to the next level in terms of safe automotive electrification,” said Steve Rowlands, Deputy CTO at OXIS.
The technology from the project will also be transferable to other lithium-anode based technologies such as Li-ion and solid state lithium technologies.
The project is led by LEITAT as co-ordinator with OXIS, Renault, Cranfield University, Varta Micro Battery in Germany, CIC Energigune, ARKEMA, Fraunhofer
Gesellschaft Zur Förderung De Angewandten Forschung, Pulsedeon, ACCUREC Recycling, Optimat, the technical university of Dresden and VDL Enabling Transport Solutions in Belgium.
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