WAE collaborating with Molicel, Nyobolt on current and future power-optimized battery cells.
WAE collaborating with Molicel, Nyobolt on current and future power-optimized battery cells.
Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) and Molicel have agreed on a strategic collaboration to support the next generation of high performance, superior quality, lithium-ion power battery cells. Earlier, in July, WAE and niobium-based battery start-up, Nyobolt (earlier post), also announced an engineering and systems integration partnership designed to support and advance an additional solution for the next generation of high-power battery systems.
The Molicel collaboration will put power-optimized cell technology from Molicel together with WAE’s advanced system design and control systems know-how to deliver a shared vision of high-performance battery systems, optimized for power, while also delivering energy density, across a number of industries.
Molicel has accumulated extensive expertise and know-how in chemical research and manufacturing engineering during the last 40 years in addition to database design and validation methodologies. The relationship will initially focus on collaboration to assess and develop technology to support demonstration activities.
Molicel is on a mission to produce outstanding cells to drive the electric evolution. We will bring our expertise and experiences on consistent high power, low impedance and fast charge to our collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE). Our technology is well suited to the arenas that WAE operates and we are happy to be part of this exciting collaboration.
—Casey Shiue, President of E-One Moli Energy (MOLICEL)
Nyobolt. Nyobolt owns the exclusive IP rights to the original niobium anode invention by leading Cambridge University battery scientist Professor Clare Gray; the company now has a presence in the UK, the US and Asia. The initial steps in the partnership with WAE will be to assess further and to develop the technology in a close collaboration, with the next steps being technology demonstration activities.
The new class of niobium battery technology has been designed to support ultra-fast charging capability—ideally suited to motorsport applications and a sector in which WAE is currently a leading provider supporting battery provision for Extreme E, Formula E Gen 3 and ETCR.
In addition, the technology will be appropriate for heavy-duty powertrains such as those used in mining, a sector currently targeting a zero-emissions goal.
With a life cycle significantly higher than standard lithium-ion batteries, the niobium technology is suited for next generation applications that require high power, long life or high cycling. The market opportunity is expected to be more than 30 gigawatt hours.