Ilika PLC (AIM:IKA, OTCQX:ILIKF, FRA:I8A), the UK solid-state battery developer, has announced a £214,000 joint development programme with Brompton Bicycles to integrate its Goliath battery technology into the folding e-bike maker's next generation of battery packs.
The 12-month programme, branded SELECT and supported by the Battery Innovation Programme, will commence on 1 July 2026 and targets production of battery packs and on-bike trials by mid-2027, subject to technical milestones.
Ilika's 10Ah Goliath cells are designed to offer higher energy density and improved safety compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, potentially enabling Brompton to reduce the weight of its battery packs.
The collaboration is partly aimed at addressing regulatory and commercial barriers in key markets, including China, where stringent e-bike battery safety regulations pose a challenge for UK and European manufacturers, and Western markets, where insurers, local authorities and transport operators have applied increasing scrutiny to e-bike fire safety.
Brompton is the UK's largest bicycle and e-bike manufacturer and its largest bicycle exporter.
Ilika chief executive Graeme Purdy said the programme would allow Brompton to extend its market reach by aligning Goliath's safety credentials with the Brompton brand, while showcasing another safety-critical application for the technology.
Brompton engineering director Yan Pugh-Jones said the collaboration reflected a shared commitment to developing safer e-bikes while maintaining the light, compact folding design the brand is known for.