Ilika PLC (AIM:IKA, OTCQX:ILIKF) told investors that Agratas, Tata Group’s battery business, has joined the SiSTEM project which aims to build a 1.5MWh solid-state battery (SSB) assembly line.
SiSTEM is backed by a £2.7 million grant from the UK government, via the Automotive Transformation Fund.
Agratas is to undertake an evaluation of the scale-up requirements for Ilika's SSB technology including a concept facility design for the implementation of SSB manufacturing equipment at gigafactory scale.
It is part of an existing collaboration with MPAC to deliver Ilika's Goliath SSB prototype large-format pouch cells and to undertake scale-up trials at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).
The Tata business last July announced its plans to produce batteries in the UK, enough capacity to power hundreds of thousands of electric cars. Tata Motors, parent to the Landrover and Daewoo brands, is expected to be an anchor customer.
Alongside Agratas joining the government-backed SiSTEM program, Ilika and Agratas have entered into a 12-month agreement intended to facilitate interactions between the companies to support Ilika's journey to its D8 (50Ah, chemistry frozen) development milestone by mid-2025.
They also plan to explore wider collaboration opportunities between the two companies.
“With its plans to build a UK gigafactory, Agratas will bring significant expertise to the programme and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship, which we have further strengthened through our bi-lateral technical collaboration agreement,” Ilika chief executive Graeme Purdy said in a statement.
Agratas VP for global R&D Dr Valentina Gentili added: “We at Agratas are excited to be joining the ATF-funded SiSTEM project and collaborating on the Goliath Program.
“The SiSTEM project will accelerate our learning on the production of solid-state batteries and enhance our relationships with key organisations in the UK battery industry.
“The project is well aligned to our mission of world-class teams delivering best-in-class technologies, and we believe that solid state is a very promising future battery technology."
UKBIC managing director Sean Gilgun, meanwhile, said: “It's fantastic that Agratas has joined the SiSTEM project, which will see a 1.5MWh solid-state battery (SSB) assembly line capable of delivering Ilika's Goliath SSB prototype large-format pouch cells being built in this project.
“The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) funded project is a partnership between Ilika, MPAC, UKBIC and Agratas, which complements the Government's vision for Net Zero."