The race is on for new lithium ion batteries

03-30-2009: Financial sponsorship running into millions has opened the way for the development of new generations of high energy batteries for use in plug-in hybrid automobiles and the electric powered vehicles of the future. Under the guidance of BASF Future Business GmbH, eighteen partners from industry and science have combined into the cross-sector consortium “HE-Lion” to develop and bring to market efficient, higher-performing and safer lithium ion batteries over the next four to six years. The German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the HE-Lion project with €21 million as part of the “Lithium Ion Battery LIB 2015” alliance for innovation. The partners in the consortium will be contributing the same amount directly from their own financial resources.

“This alliance is an essential contribution to strengthening Germany as a heartland of innovation. In research, we must make the decisive breakthrough with new battery materials as soon as possible. Only then can we make electromobility affordable and free it from its niche existence,” emphasizes Dr. Andreas Kreimeyer, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF and Research Executive Director.

The BMBF initiative LIB 2015 with a total sponsorship volume of €60 million for several consortia aims to bring to market by 2015 higher performing, safer and above all affordable lithium ion batteries for future propulsion systems such as plug-in hybrid automobiles. A plug-in hybrid is a powered vehicle with a hybrid propulsion system with a battery that can also be charged externally from the mains supply. Equipped with an internal combustion engine, electrical drive system and a battery, it can be driven both with gasoline and electricity.

With companies of the chemical industry, battery industry, the automotive and energy sector and numerous partners from universities and institutes, HE-Lion is the largest consortium in LIB 2015. As energy stores of the future, lithium ion batteries are a key technology for a climate friendly energy supply. For BASF, climate protection is a long-term strategic issue to which its commitment in this project is also contributing.