European project to develop cobalt-free EV batteries awarded €11.8M
24 June 2020
The COBRA (CObalt-free Batteries for FutuRe Automotive Applications) project has been awarded a €11.8-million grant to develop Next Generation Cobalt-free batteries. COBRA, which aims to develop lithium, cobalt-free batteries made with new energy storage materials that incorporate intelligent sensors to help enhance their energy efficiency, is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, includes major stakeholders in the battery sector, such as universities, tech firms, and research groups.
COBRA incorporates environmental impact studies to help ensure that the carbon footprint of the end product is reduced, by eliminating cobalt and other toxic or scarce elements, while using metal components with recyclability of more than 95%.
The project launched earlier this year and will run until January 2024.
The project will result in a unique battery system that features superior energy density, low cost, increased cycles and reduced critical materials. The proposed Li-ion battery technology will be demonstrated at TRL6 (battery pack) and validated on an automotive EV testbed.
Technical bjectives include:
- >750 Wh/l cell energy density
- Useful cycle life of >2000
- >4.5V voltage window enabling stable SEI/CEI formation
- Pack 3C fast charging capability
- 50% pack weight reduction
The financial objective is to achieve a cost of no more than €90/kWh at the pack level when entering commercial production.
The involvement of several leading organizations for battery manufacturing ensures easy adaptation to production lines and scale-up to contribute to a higher market adoption while helping to strengthen Europe’s position in the field.
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