Faraday Battery Challenge: Innovation Feasibility Studies, Round 4

The ISCF Faraday Battery Challenge will work with Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, to invest up to £10 million in innovation projects across the Feasibility Study and R&D strands of the Faraday Battery Challenge. These will be to support innovation in the design, development and manufacture of batteries for the propulsion of electric vehicles.

There are 2 strands to this competition: feasibility studies (accelerating battery technology development – this strand) and innovation R&D (building on the outputs of previous activity to accelerate towards commercialisation – click here for details of the R&D strand). Please ensure that you are applying for the appropriate strand.

View the briefing recording here.

The aim of this competition is to accelerate innovation in battery technology for the propulsion of electric vehicles by supporting business led feasibility studies. This will draw on the most exciting, high potential impact, early stage research where a 12 month feasibility study can catalyse the route to commercialisation.

Your proposal must clearly show how this feasibility study will accelerate the development of technologies which have the potential to significantly advance the performance characteristics of batteries for electric vehicles.

Your project must:

• have total eligible costs between £100,000 and £1,000,000
• plan to end by 31 March 2022
• last between 3 and 12 months

Lead organisation

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size
• collaborate with other UK registered businesses, research and technology organisations (RTOs), public sector organisations or charities
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Any eligible UK registered business can lead on any number of applications and collaborate on any number of further applications.

An academic institution or RTO cannot lead on an application but can collaborate on any number of applications.

For feasibility projects, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a micro or small organisation
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized organisation
• up to 50% if you are a large organisation

Your proposal must clearly show how this feasibility study will accelerate the development of technologies or business practices which have the potential to significantly advance the performance characteristics of batteries for electric vehicles.

The goal of the challenge is for the UK to become a global leader in the design, development and manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles. We expect successful projects to increase productivity, competitiveness and growth for UK businesses.

Your project can focus on technological improvements or developing new business models across the battery value chain, but not limited to:

• cell materials and components
• cells
• modules and packs
• recycling
• enabling technologies

Your project can be focused on battery technology development for automotive applications and sectors outside automotive.

Potential sectors include:

• rail
• marine
• aerospace
• defence
• off-highway
• or other applications

We are particularly looking for projects developing technologies which have the potential to significantly improve performance metrics such as energy and power density compared to current state of the art and enable electrification in sectors outside automotive such as aerospace.

We will support projects that address technical and commercial challenges across the battery supply chain. We welcome projects which transfer technology between sectors.

We encourage projects that bring new investment and new businesses into the sector in the UK.

Your project can focus on one or more of the following:

• cost reduction – at the cell and pack level, as well as minimising manufacturing costs
• energy density – increasing Wh/kg per cell
• power density – increasing kW/kg per pack
• safety: eliminate thermal runaway risks for enhanced safety
• first life – lengthen cell and pack life
• temperature: broaden the temperature ranges that a pack efficiently operates at
• predictability – new models to better predict range and battery health
• recyclability – by enabling 2nd life, design for end of life, reuse or recycling
• technologies enabling the efficient design, development or manufacture of batteries
• next generation battery technologies such as Li metal anodes

We are not funding projects which focus on:

• vehicle integration
• business as usual projects
• projects developing technology that cannot demonstrate a clear route to market i.e. fundamental research
• funding for capital equipment which could be accessed elsewhere

A briefing event was held on 28th September: the recording is now available.

If you want help to find a project partner, contact KTN’s Knowledge Transfer Manager – Infrastructure & Energy, Nikoleta Piperidou.