Ilika plc (LON:IKA), the UK pioneer in solid-state battery technology, has announced a successful outcome to its grant-supported PRIMED programme to optimise the performance of its Goliath 10Ah prototypes.
This project, which benefitted from strategic guidance by JLR and Prof Paul Shearing of Oxford University, built, tested and optimised its 10Ah SSB cells before releasing them to automotive and non-automotive partners in December 2025.
During the programme, it was decided that resources would be more productively deployed on optimising the performance of the 10Ah prototypes rather than immediately scaling them up to 50Ah.
Direct outcomes from the programme include positive feedback on the battlefield resilience of Goliath cells from a UK defence agency, leading to ongoing commercial opportunities. During the programme, Ilika and Brompton also commenced a 12-month joint development programme for its next generation of foldable e-bikes. Furthermore, Ilika completed independent third-party testing and verification of its Goliath cells through About:Energy.
The performance data now in The Voltt, About:Energy’s cell selection platform, has been independently confirmed, not just supplied by the manufacturer, giving pack designers a trusted basis for evaluating a new chemistry before committing design time.
Highlights of the technical progress made during the PRIMED programme include:
· Improved gravimetric energy density
· Increased capacity retention at higher cycling rates
· Higher peak power
· Faster charging
· Improved cycle life
· Thermal stability to higher temperatures
The PRIMED grant-supported programme was initially announced in July 2025. It was supported by the UK Government’s £4 billion DRIVE35 programme delivered by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK. It was a 12-month, £3 million collaboration programme, of which Ilika received £1.25 million in grant funding. The programme commenced on 1 August 2025 and saw Ilika partner with HSSMI, a UK based manufacturing consultancy, and utilise the electrode production lines at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (“UKBIC”). HSSMI produced a Production Scale Model to support industrialisation to gigafactory level.
Graeme Purdy, CEO of Ilika, said, “The overview of the progression in technical and commercial readiness of our Goliath programme is very encouraging. The performance of our 10Ah cell format offers a useful early commercialisation opportunity at this point on our roadmap, as we continue to interact with automotive partners for our ultimate EV rollout.”
About:Energy CEO, Gavin White, said, “Adding Ilika’s Goliath cells to The Voltt means pack designers can now test the cells virtually, obtaining the performance data that matters for next-gen programme decisions. Evaluation that used to take months now takes days, and we see strong potential across multiple applications.”
Ian Constance, CEO of the APC, said, “This funding award has aligned perfectly with our commitment to transform the automotive sector through innovative zero-emission vehicle technologies. By continuing to prioritise collaboration between industry, government, and academia, we can support research and development, vehicle innovation, and unlock capital investment in manufacturing plants and their wider supply chains.”
