The AIM-listed battery maker says its Goliath cells outperformed conventional lithium-ion technology in firing range safety tests conducted for the Ministry of Defence
Ilika PLC (AIM:IKA, OTCQX:ILIKF, FRA:I8A), the UK solid-state battery pioneer, has received positive feedback from a UK defence agency after its Goliath cells were subjected to live firing range tests designed to simulate battlefield conditions.
The tests, conducted by an agency advising the Ministry of Defence (MoD), showed that Goliath 10Ah cells could survive a single gunshot before a thermal event was triggered by a second, and that cells at low states of charge showed no thermal event at all.
Crucially, despite storing three times the energy of conventional nickel cobalt aluminium (NCA) lithium-ion cells tested under the same conditions, the Goliath cells produced a similar overall thermal response.
Thermal runaway, the process by which a battery's temperature rises uncontrollably following damage or abuse, can lead to fire or explosion and is a significant safety concern for defence and other high-risk applications.
The Goliath cells also reached a lower peak thermal runaway temperature than the NCA cells used as a benchmark, and displayed a delayed reaction before entering that state.
A power sources expert at the defence agency said the cells had been screened alongside a wide range of battery technologies as part of work to assess safety risks from increased electrification, adding that the agency would be interested in evaluating the technology further in defence-specific applications.
Ilika delivered Goliath prototypes to customers across multiple industries in December 2025, with the MoD-linked agency among the recipients.
Graeme Purdy, chief executive of Ilika, said the results supported the company's efforts to commercialise Goliath in the defence sector, citing drones as one application where enhanced battery safety offered a clear competitive advantage.
Broker Cavendish told investors: "The feedback has highlighted the potential of Ilika’s solid-state battery technology for use in mission-critical, high-risk environments where safety is a priority."
It repeated its 'buy' advice and 130p price target. In morning trading, the shares were up 3% at 28.69p.
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