New Funding secured by Ilika for the production of Goliath-A prototype samples, granted by the government.
In a significant stride for the UK's electric vehicle (EV) industry, Ilika, a leading UK-based company specializing in solid-state battery technology, has secured £1.25 million in grant funding from the Demonstrate fund, facilitated by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC). This funding is part of a 12-month, £3 million collaboration program with Ilika and HSSMI, a UK-based manufacturing consultancy [1].
The collaboration, codenamed PRIMED, aims to produce the first Goliath A-Sample solid-state batteries for automotive applications. The project will focus on the production and testing of Ilika's P2 SSB cells to deliver a 50Ah A-Sample [1].
The purpose of PRIMED is to manufacture and validate large-format Goliath solid-state batteries, designed to meet the power, capacity, and cycle life requirements of electric vehicles. The programme will enable potential automotive pack builders and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to start making design decisions based on the prototype outputs [1][2].
The collaboration program will commence on August 1, 2025, and will involve the use of electrode production lines at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC). Richard LeCain, Chief Technology Officer of UKBIC, has expressed delight that Ilika has chosen to manufacture its first batch of Goliath A-Samples at UKBIC [1].
Axel Bindel, Executive Director of HSSMI, stated that the partnership represents a critical step toward the scale up and commercialisation of solid-state battery technology in the UK. HSSMI will produce a Production Scale Model and Business Case Review to support the industrialisation of Ilika's Goliath technology to a gigafactory level [1].
The project builds upon the developments in the Faraday Battery Challenge, now renamed Battery Innovation Programme, project HISTORY, where Ilika developed a prototype 50Ah SSB. Graeme Purdy, CEO of Ilika, stated that the project will enable the company to deliver robust 50Ah batteries to the automotive industry, having undertaken full testing to substantiate the USPs of Goliath [1].
Ian Constance, CEO of the APC, has stated that this funding award aligns with their commitment to transform the automotive sector through innovative zero-emission and CAM vehicle technologies. Constance also emphasized the importance of continuing to prioritize collaboration between industry, government, and academia to support research and development, vehicle innovation, and unlock capital investment in manufacturing plants and their wider supply chains [1].
The PRIMED project is a significant step towards giga-scale manufacture of solid state batteries in the UK and deployment worldwide. It reinforces the UK's position at the forefront of battery innovation and HSSMI's aim to accelerate the path to giga-scale readiness [1]. UKBIC is proud to be a part of this important step towards giga-scale manufacture of solid state batteries in the UK and deployment worldwide.
- The collaboration program, PRIMED, will leverage UKBIC's facilities to manufacture Ilika's first Goliath A-Samples, which are intended to advance solid-state battery technology for electric vehicles.
- The PRIMED project, a significant stride in the UK's electric vehicle industry, aims to accelerate the giga-scale manufacture of solid state batteries, reinforcing the UK's leading position in battery innovation.
