Solid state batteries are widely expected to provide a future alternative to conventional liquid-based lithium ion batteries with key benefits:

  • Eco-friendly and safe
  • High energy density per mass and volume
  • High cycle count
  • Fast charge
  • Able to operate safely at high temperatures
  • Safer to dispose of

Goliath is Ilika's Wh-level solid state battery technology for electric vehicles and cordless consumer electronics. These solid state lithium cells have the potential to achieve extended range and faster charging verses traditional EV batteries.

In 2018, following on from our development of micro-batteries (Stereax), Ilika initiated a program of development of Wh-level solid state cells thanks to £5M of grant funding from Innovate UK's Faraday Battery Challenge to support project collaborations in the automotive sector. These programs allowed us to open a new R&D facility in Romsey, UK, dedicated to our EV related R&D activities, and that can currently produce 1kWh of solid state EV pouch cells a week with plans to increase this number to 10kWh/week next year. You can read more about these grant funded projects below and have a virtual tour of our facilities here. These funded projects will end mid 2021 having created the foundation single layer solid state pouch cell. This forms the basis of a new set of programs based around multi-layer high capacity cells.  

Leading R&D in the UK

Ilika are the leading industrial developers of solid state batteries in the UK. Our R&D road map over the next 3-4 years will yield 3 generations of demonstration cells with specifications guided by market needs in transportation (e-bikes, performance automotive, motorbikes and e-VTOL, electric Vertical Take Off and Landing) and consumer electronics (health and beauty, cordless domestic appliances, tools) through the following technical steps

Gen 1: Light weighting reduction of parasitic components
Gen 2: Mechanical stacking; Packaging, automation and process control
Gen 3: Bipolar stacked pouches; Advanced architecture and process control

Road to Manufacturing

In parallel to our R&D road map, we are already preparing for scale-up. Our plan is to scale-up to MWh scale, for example at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre with which we have a Framework Agreement before eventually licensing our technology for Giga scale production.

We have commissioned a BOM cost forecast from consultants Exawatt which concluded that price of SSB BOM could be essentially similar to that of LIB when manufactured at GIGA scale.

Following funding from APC's Automotive Transformation Fund, we worked with Comau (part of Stellantis) to cost the equipment and processes for a three stage scale-up plan from kWh, through MWh and onto GWh. The study validated the use of existing technologies and machines in the scale-up of Goliath batteries for electric vehicles.

Goliath Lead Partnership

Ilika designs specifically for the market and we are looking to build our consortium of global expertise. If you're an OEM and interested in being part of the R&D program for Generation 1, 2 and 3 cells, guiding our team with end application insights financed via industrial NRE or grant funding then read more about our Lead Partner Program.

Ilika's Goliath Solid State Battery Technology for Electric Vehicles and Cordless Consumer Electronics

Battery Innovation