New research into solid-state batteries has won a share of a GBP42 million ($59.8m) UK government grant to help accelerate the development of electric vehicle technology.
The research, to be conducted by an academia-industry partnership led by the University of Oxford, is one of four projects chosen for the funding through the Faraday Institution— launched last year as part of the government’s wider industrial strategy.
A Faraday spokesperson told BBB the grant forms part of the government’s GBP246m investment in expanding battery technology. However, the grant will be topped up with a total of GBP4.6m of “in-kind support” contributed by industrial partners for the solid-state research along with three other projects:
· Research led by the University of Cambridge-led into extending battery life and optimising EV battery materials and cells, battery system modelling lead by Imperial College London with a focus on EV batteries;
· Battery system modelling research to “understand and predict” battery performance led by Imperial College London;
· Studies led by the University of Birmingham “with the aim to recycle 100%” of lithium-ion batteries “to make better use of global resources”.
UK business minister Richard Harrington said: “With 200,000 EVs set to be on UK roads by the end of 2018 and worldwide sales growing by 45% in 2016, investment in car batteries is a massive opportunity for Britain and one that is estimated to be worth GBP5 billion by 2025.
BBB reported last July that a study by Dutch banking group ING had suggested only electric passenger cars would be sold in Europe from 2035 as a result of falling battery costs, economies of scale and increased support from governments.
