OXIS Energy Ltd UK has signed a contract with CODEMGE PARTICIPACOES SA, a public company incorporated in the city of Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, to establish the world’s first digital manufacturing plant for the mass production of OXIS’ lithium-sulfur cells.

OXIS Energy Brazil Holdings will manage the plant.

CODEMGE’s US$60-million investment will go towards the building of the plant in Belo Horizonte with Phase 1 having a cell capacity of 2 million cells per annum.

Collaborating with Siemens Digital Factory, among others, the aim is to design a plant that will produce around 5 million cells by the mid-2020s. OXIS expects to complete Phase 1 in 2022.

The OXIS Li-S cells will be developed, designed and produced to meet the demands of three sectors—aviation, defence and electric vehicles such as buses, trucks and light commercial vehicles—reflecting the clients currently in partnership with OXIS.

Li-S allows for a theoretical specific energy in excess of 2700Wh/kg—nearly 5 times higher than that of Li-ion. OXIS’s next-generation lithium technology platform offers the highest energy density among lithium chemistry, with 400 Wh/kg already achieved at cell level. OXIS is targeting 500Wh/kg for 2019.

OXIS is one of the few companies in the world to develop all 3 cell components: The cathode, the anode, and the electrolyte.

OXIS has developed Li-S pouch cells with nominal voltage of 2.1 V and typical capacity of 10 – 35 Ah. OXIS says it will pursue two types of Ultra Light cells (20 Ah, 2.1V) in order to address the specific requirements of aerospace and automotive:

• High energy density cell (>500 Wh/kg) for small electric aircrafts (2-seater), UAV and High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS).

• High power cell (>400 Wh/kg) for automotive applications and electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.