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Researchers left no stone unturned. The result was a completely new and intelligent EV battery
"We have developed batteries that deliver high performance while using fewer critical raw materials. This is good news for European self-sufficiency," says a researcher.
A battery is more than just a battery. Where it is produced and what it is made from are crucial factors for its environmental impact, cost, and quality.
“Batteries rely on raw materials that are often scarce and currently largely extracted and processed in politically unstable and unpredictable regions,” says Nils Peter Wagner.
He is a researcher and project manager at SINTEF.
Until recently, most battery cell production took place in Asia, where more than 95 per cent of lithium‑ion cells are manufactured. Europe is now working to become more self-sufficient.
After a four-year European research collaboration, researchers are now presenting promising results.
“We have examined every part of the battery cell, down to the smallest detail, to identify the optimal material composition,” says Wagner.
Putting consumers in the driver’s seat
The project's goal has been to develop more sustainable, efficient, and intelligent electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
“We have achieved this by using the most environmentally friendly materials possible. At the same time, we have given the batteries high power and the ability to store large amounts of energy in a compact format,” says Wagner.
For EV battery production to truly take off in Europe, electric vehicles need to be an attractive choice for consumers.
They must offer good driving range, short charging times, a long battery lifetime, environmental benefits, and be affordable.
Using less critical raw materials
One of the researchers’ ‘secrets’ has been using less of the critical raw materials.
The project has resulted in a new generation of lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO), which is used in the battery’s cathode.
The material is cobalt‑free and contains less lithium and nickel than those used in today’s batteries.
Yet it still delivers high energy density and high voltage without compromising performance.
A new Norwegian composite material
For the battery’s anode, researchers created a composite made from both silicon and graphite.
Silicon can store far more lithium ions. This provides higher energy density than today’s standard anodes, while graphite adds strength and stability.
The combination gives these batteries greater capacity and a longer lifespan.
The composite material is produced by Vianode in Norway. The company can manufacture graphite with 90 per cent lower emissions than other producers while also reducing resource consumption.
Longer battery life
The quality of the electrodes is crucial for the battery cell's performance, lifespan, and safety.
The research team therefore optimised the battery structure and electrodes to increase energy density and charging speed. At the same time, they ensured that heat does not build up inside the battery.
In addition to improving the active materials, they developed an electrolyte that protects both the anode and the cathode, even at high voltages. This makes the batteries more stable and extends their lifespan.
Developed an environmentally friendly mechanism
To maintain a stable electrode structure, the research team developed new binders. Binders hold the electrodes together throughout the battery’s lifetime under demanding chemical conditions.
Traditionally, binders are important but passive components in batteries. This means they have no additional function.
Researchers made the new binders active by selecting a binder with multiple functions. In this battery, the binder provides active protection and prevents unwanted side reactions.
Wagner explains that binders are often based on fluorinated polymers such as PVDF. These contain toxic and environmentally harmful solvents. Throughout the project, the researchers tested different polymers and ultimately managed to replace PVDF with a water-soluble binder. It also provides several additional beneficial functions.
“Our binders can trap the metal ions manganese and nickel when they are released from the cathode, preventing them from reaching the anode, where they can cause lithium plating and reduce the battery’s lifetime,” the researcher says.
On the path to commercialisation
One of the biggest challenges in scaling up battery cell production is manufacturing electrodes at an industrial scale.
At the SINTEF Battery Lab, the researchers have demonstrated that electrode production can be scaled from lab level to a more industrial format.
“At the battery lab, we have succeeded in producing water-based electrode rolls with high density and uniform quality at scales of up to 100 metres. This is a milestone for both European and Norwegian battery research. It is also an important step towards local industrial battery cell production,” says Wagner.
References:
Hallemans et al. Physics-Based Battery Model Parametrisation from Impedance Data, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 2025. DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/add41b
Stokes-Rodriguez et al. Realization of Aqueous Processed LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 through the pH Optimization of Polyacrylate Binders, Advanced Sustainable Systems, 2025. DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202500444
Svaluto-Ferro et al. Toward an Autonomous Robotic Battery Materials Research Platform Powered by Automated Workflow and Ontologized Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable Data Management, Batteries & Supercaps, 2025. DOI: 10.1002/batt.202500155
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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
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