INEGI is part of a European effort to create a new generation of batteries

Creating the next generation of components for battery cells is an important European objective, in line with the ambition of having 30 million electric vehicles on the streets by 2030. INEGI plays an important role in this effort, having an active participation in more than 10 European consortia.

As Luís Oliveira, responsible for several of these projects at INEGI, explains, "the development of solid batteries is essential for the advancement of automotive electrification, as they promise greater durability, charging speed, and greater production profitability”.

Therefore, INEGI's team is responsible for answering several questions related to the development of sustainable battery cell components, with the aim of achieving high technological maturity for automotive and transport applications.

Sustainability is the keyword. For Luís Oliveira, "we cannot, on the one hand, contribute to the advancement of electric mobility, but, on the other, intensify the creation of waste and waste of raw materials”.

Therefore, INEGI's team of experts is working on the development of a set of ecodesign guidelines, to guide future manufacturers in optimizing the life cycle of products. Here, the phases of raw material extraction, production, use, second life, and final disposal or recycling are addressed, raising awareness of the needs for more circular products.

Likewise, INEGI is supporting the analysis and development of manufacturing processes based on techniques that reduce environmental impact and energy consumption, thus enhancing reuse and recycling, increasing the cost-benefit ratio, and safety of the resulting products.

Work based, in part, on new technological approaches and innovative manufacturing solutions, such as the digitalization of manufacturing, based on digital twins and machine learning models. Leveraging tools developed in-house, INEGI encourages the sharing of critical data for the processes in question, increasing the robustness of results, as well as their frequency throughout different projects, always safeguarding their security and custody. INEGI is, therefore, also supporting consortia in the development and implementation of these technologies, "which have proven to be essential for supporting decisions in the development of sustainable products”.

All of this work aims to implement the 1st pilot production line for 4th generation automotive batteries by mid-2026.

Among the projects running until 2030, the RELiEF, ADVAGEN, PULSELiON, GIGAGREEN and NEXTCELL projects stand out. Funded under the Horizon Europe programme, they all have a common objective - to contribute to achieving an emissions-neutral Europe by 2050 and the creation of a European energy storage systems industry, capable of competing on international markets.