Ricardo has signed a memorandum of understanding with InoBat, a pioneer of premium electric vehicle battery R&D, engineering, production and recycling, jointly to supply battery cells, modules and packs to high-performance automotive manufacturers for their electrification programs.

Ricardo and InoBat will co-operate on the assembly, production and testing of cells, modules and full battery packs for a number of high-performance automotive applications. Drawing on its expertise in proprietary battery cell R&D and large-scale battery cell production, InoBat will manufacture, test and supply cells.

Ricardo will design, assemble and test the battery packs and will supply them to customers principally in the high performance automotive market, but also in other sectors such as aerospace and defense.

Leveraging our proven track record in industrialising technology Ricardo is delighted to be working with InoBat to help establish a robust supply chain for critical electrification components. Ricardo’s future manufacturing strategy is very much aligned to this emerging need for electrified vehicle components for the high performance automotive vehicles and other equally demanding applications. In doing so, we will accelerate the adoption of electrification in these critical sectors by providing a robust supply route for key battery products. In addition, we are helping to contribute to the green bounce back through sustainable practices, and helping to accelerate net zero ambitions.

—Martin Starkey, Managing Director Ricardo Performance Products

The collaboration with InoBat further enhances Ricardo’s capability in the production and supply of critical electric vehicle components. In September 2021, Ricardo received UK Government funding to assess the commercial viability of a facility to assemble battery packs for UK manufacturers which produce fewer than 10,000 electrified vehicles per year. These UK electrified vehicle manufacturers included some of the world’s best known prestige brands which create their luxury cars, special vehicles, or off-highway machines for a customer base in the low thousands.

The economic study was funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s Automotive Transformation Fund supported by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.