The UK battery manufacturer, Britishvolt has extended its contract with the University of Warwick to develop battery cell technologies in an undisclosed “multi-million-pound deal”.
The academic and research department of the university, WMG, will collaborate with Britishvolt for a two-year project to develop and optimize battery cells. The project will also include small-scale manufacturing to produce battery electrodes and cells using Britishvolt target materials sets, formulations and cell designs.
“The battery science, advanced materials and cell prototyping expertise and capability at WMG has directly, and positively, supported our battery technology development programme,” said Dr. Allan Paterson, chief technical officer at Britishvolt.
“This gives us not only an excellent basis to progress from, as we seek to scale and commercialise our technologies, but the relationship also enables Britishvolt to continue to develop our products further, as we continually strive to deliver best-in-class, market-leading, cell technologies to our customers.”
Britishvolt had recently announced its investment of over £200m in a new facility in the West Midlands to test manufacturing methods that will be used at the factory it has planned for in Northumberland. The company plans to lease a site in Hams Hall, Warwickshire, creating what it calls a “Battery Corridor” – linking the Northumberland site with the UK’s automotive heartland.
“WMG, at the University of Warwick, is delighted to be supporting Britishvolt as they set up large-scale battery manufacturing and research facilities in the UK,” said David Greenwood, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult at WMG. “This industry will be critical for the future of the UK automotive and energy sectors.”