Ilika is moving its Goliath solid-state battery technology towards larger-scale production, with a clear focus on electric vehicle and defence applications.
Goliath is Ilika’s Wh-level solid-state battery platform. It uses a high silicon-content anode and a quasi-solid electrolyte. The company says the design can improve safety during manufacturing, storage and use, while also supporting higher energy and power density.
The company’s plan is to scale Goliath manufacturing to MWh levels at its own pilot research and development facility. Beyond that stage, Ilika intends to license the technology to original equipment manufacturers, battery cell producers or Tier 1 suppliers with the capacity to manufacture at much larger volumes.
That model could limit the amount of capital Ilika needs to commit to large-scale manufacturing infrastructure. Instead of building and operating giga-scale factories itself, the company is aiming to develop the technology, prove the production process and then work with established manufacturers.
This puts licensing and industrial partnerships at the centre of the Goliath strategy.
Ilika has created a Lead Partner Programme for OEMs, battery manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. Participants can gain early access to development progress, review prototypes and contribute to cell specifications. They can also secure the option to license the technology and associated intellectual property.
The company is also working on the practical manufacturing requirements needed to support future scale-up.
With support from the Automotive Transformation Fund, Ilika has assessed whether equipment and processes already used in conventional lithium-ion battery production can also be used for Goliath cells. This matters because greater compatibility with existing manufacturing infrastructure could reduce the cost and complexity of commercial adoption.
Ilika has also worked with the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre on manufacturing studies and physical production trials. These have included testing Ilika materials on conventional lithium-ion battery equipment and carrying out further trials using UKBIC facilities.
Ilika plc (LON:IKA) is a pioneer in solid state battery technology enabling solutions for applications in Industrial IoT, MedTech, Electric Vehicles and Consumer Electronics.
