In June, Porsche announced an investment in its new joint venture company Cellforce Group GmbH. Porsche and joint venture partner Customcells, a spin-off from Fraunhofer, also announced the launch of production of high-performance battery cells at Porsche’s Weissach Development Center. (Earlier post.)

The new high-performance cells will use silicon as the anode material and BASF HED NCM cathode active materials to contribute to high-performance battery cells for fast charging and high energy density. BASF is the exclusive cell development partner for the next generation lithium-ion battery.

BASF's portfolio of advanced HED NCM products for lithium-ion batteries includes various nickel compositions, ranging from the traditional NCM 111 mixture to nickel-rich content products, such as NCM 721 and NCM 811. They all include a variety of coating and doping options to meet customer application requirements for enhanced safety, prolonged life cycle, high energy capacity and density, as well as improved chemical stability.

Now, Porsche and Cellforce Group (CFG) said that the Cellforce Group battery production plant is expected to start operations in 2024 with an initial capacity of at least 100 MWh per year, powering 1,000 motorsport and high-performance vehicles.

Taycan Turbo S 800-volt system

With its production plants for precursor cathode active materials in Harjavalta, Finland, and for cathode active materials in Schwarzheide, Germany, BASF will be able to provide battery materials with an outstanding sustainability record for both responsible and reliable sourcing of raw materials aiming for the lowest carbon footprint along the supply chain as of 2022.

To close the loop, production waste from the future Cellforce Group battery plant will be recycled at BASF’s prototype plant for battery recycling in Schwarzheide, Germany. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese will be recycled in a hydrometallurgical process and re-introduced into BASF’s production process for cathode active materials.

As an automotive manufacturer, Porsche aims to be CO₂-neutral in its overall balance sheet by 2030. In this respect, a low CO₂ footprint, closed-loop recycling and sustainability are increasingly in the foreground. The cooperation with BASF is a win-win situation for all parties involved. European sources for the materials nickel and cobalt, the associated security of supply and the short transport routes from Schwarzheide to Baden-Württemberg in Germany were all important arguments for the decision to work with BASF. The battery cells—especially the cathode active materials—are at the center of considerations here. We are very pleased that together with BASF we are bringing an environmentally friendly cell technology to series-production readiness.

—Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche