Lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery cell developer and manufacturer AMTE Power has signed a contract to manufacture its Ultra High-Power cells at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry.
Under the terms of the contract, the company can request UKBIC to produce up to 60,000 Ultra High-Power cells annually, over an initial term of 24 months, to support AMTE Power’s next phase of commercialization. By doing so, AMTE Power will be able to deliver the first Ultra High-Power cells at a large enough scale to enable its customers to conduct in-vehicle trials.
Back in August 2022, the company said it was making good progress in manufacturing trials for the Ultra High-Power cell at UKBIC. Compared with AMTE Power’s target specification, the cells were performing well when produced using UKBIC’s commercial-scale equipment. With low internal resistance, the Ultra High-Power cells were said to support excellent power delivery and full, fast charging in six minutes.
Production of the Ultra High-Power cells is scheduled to start at the UKBIC in January 2023 and will generate initial revenue in addition to enabling the company to meet demand for its products from the automotive sector. At present, AMTE Power has non-binding Memorandums of Understanding with Cosworth, Viritech and Mahle Powertrain. Development agreements are also in place with Sprint Power, Eltrium and BMW.
By manufacturing its cells at UKBIC, AMTE Power has achieved a major company milestone before it begins mass commercialization with its first mega-factory in Dundee, Scotland.
“Having already secured significant early interest in our Ultra High-Power cell from major automotive partners, this contract will enable us to bring our products to market sooner while we progress our own mega-factory,” said Kevin Brundish, CEO of AMTE Power. “This new phase in our journey builds on the partnership that we’ve established with UKBIC through cell development.”
Jeff Pratt, managing director of the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, added, “We’re delighted to be entering into this landmark agreement with AMTE Power to transfer their design into UKBIC and then manufacture their next-generation Ultra High-Power cells at volume, allowing us to further support the company’s significant commercialization plans. Advanced battery cells being manufactured at volume in the UK are a vital component of ensuring the UK prospers from the energy transition toward net zero.”
“Batteries are the foundation of the industries of the future, from electric vehicles to renewables, and building a domestic supply chain for them is central to our plans to grow the economy, create jobs and bolster energy security,” commented Jackie Doyle-Price, the UK’s Minister for Industry.