Suche
Mein Konto
The search for the green” battery
“Green” batteries for electric cars and aircraft are being developed at the Austrian Institute of Technology AIT.
The search for the green” battery
AUTOMOTIVE.AT: Most batteries for electric cars are now developed and produced in Asia. Can Europe keep up with the pace of innovation in the Far East?
BOSCHIDAR GANEV: In fact, the European automotive industry is still heavily dependent on imports from Asia for vehicle batteries. The EU therefore wants to set up its own battery production that combines performance, sustainability and resource conservation in the spirit of the Green Deal. These batteries will be of particular interest to those manufacturers who want to advertise their vehicles not only in terms of performance and range, but also in terms of environmental and climate friendliness and use a battery that is as suitable as possible for the European context. The target vision includes: battery manufactured in Europe, with the highest possible proportion of renewable energy / transparency regarding the composition and origin of the materials / minimization of critical raw materials / good performance in the “first” life, i.e. when used in a vehicle or aircraft / the possibility of subsequent use in a “second” life, for example as stationary storage. Last but not least, there is the proven recyclability when the battery has finally reached the end of its life.
What can the HighSpin project at AIT contribute to this?
The HighSpin consortium, led by AIT, consists of 13 partners from eight European countries. The EU Commission recognized the need for sustainable battery production as early as 2017. The goal of developing an innovative cell chemistry is therefore to use less critical raw materials and at the same time meet the principles of the circular economy. Above all, we want to replace the raw material cobalt, which is mined under inhumane and environmentally harmful conditions, primarily in the Congo, with less critical raw materials. In the HighSpin project, we are also testing two different recycling processes that can be used to extract high-quality metals from used cells for the production of fresh cells.
What are the special features of this cell chemistry?
We are currently working on the development of an anode made of silicon/graphite and a cathode made of lithium-nickel-manganese oxide. The innovative battery cell should achieve the highest possible number of charging cycles and at the same time be suitable for second-life applications and efficient recycling. The focus is also on the scalability of cell production, because the prototypes developed in the laboratory should be able to be mass-produced industrially with as little effort as possible.
What energy density and service life will the “green” power storage devices developed in High Spin have?
Our main goal is to realize a cell with an energy density of 390 Wh/kg and a lifespan of at least 2000 charging cycles. The focus of our research work is on the development of materials and the optimized coordination of the electrodes and electrolyte made from them. For the electrodes, we are researching innovative 3D coating structures to increase the power density. We then optimize the architecture of the cells developed in this way to the respective requirements of vehicles and aircraft and test them in module demonstrators.
How much effort will it take to produce these cells on an industrial scale – will new battery factories have to be built for this?
One advantage of this 3rd generation battery cells is the use of liquid electrolytes - therefore existing production facilities can be used. In contrast, new production processes and manufacturing systems must first be developed for 4th generation solid-state batteries, which are currently being researched worldwide. This future technology will certainly win the race in the medium to long term, but it will probably take many years to get there. Meanwhile, the batteries with liquid electrolytes developed in the HighSpin project will be able to make a valuable contribution to the sustainability of electromobility.
When will the “green” batteries be ready for series production?
Our research project will run until mid-2026. The cell chemistry developed by HighSpin will then have been tested under realistic conditions and will be made available to the industry. This further develops the batteries and adapts their supply chains and production facilities. Depending on the availability of raw materials, I estimate that series production will be achieved from 2028 for vehicles and from 2030 for aircraft.