About

Description

HyLiST is an innovative research project focused on the development of next-generation solid-state batteries (SSBs). The project addresses the urgent need for safer, more energy-efficient, and high-performance batteries, primarily aimed at the automotive and aeronautic sectors.

HyLiST utilises cutting-edge materials and technologies, including cobalt-free lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO) cathodes, lithium metal (LiM) anodes, and hybrid polymer solid electrolytes (HSIPE), to design advanced batteries that meet the demanding requirements of high energy and power density, long cycle life, and fast charging.

The project aims to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale development and industrial-scale manufacturing by scaling up the technology to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. HyLiST will demonstrate the manufacturing of high-performance SSBs at a pilot line level, with the goal of introducing these technologies to the broader automotive and aeronautic markets by 2027-2030.

In alignment with the European Green Deal and Paris Agreements objectives, HyLiST propositions contribute to reduced net-emissions, with positive spill-over economic, social and environmental impacts.

Objectives

The core objective of the HyLiST is to develop high-energy, fast-charging, durable and safe SSB that are both sustainable and low-cost.

These batteries will be produced using eco-friendly processes compatible with conventional manufacturing infrastructure, enabling large-scale production in Europe.

The groundwork of the project will allow for the commercialisation of cobalt-free cathode based SSB (LMNO|HSIPE|Li) cells for automotive and aeronautic industries.

HyLiST will optimise materials, processes, and battery cell designs, with a focus on innovation in accordance with the following Specific Objectives (SO):

Impact

HyLiST will have significant impacts across several dimensions, aligning with the global push toward decarbonisation, the electrification of transportation, and sustainable manufacturing practices:

Technological Impact

HyLiST's advancements in SSB technology will help revolutionise the battery industry, enabling higher energy and power densities, faster charging times, longer lifespans, and improved safety compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. This will directly contribute to the development of next-generation electric vehicles and aircraft, which are essential for achieving global climate goals.

Economic Impact

The large-scale production of SSBs will create new economic opportunities, particularly in the European Union, driving the growth of industries involved in battery manufacturing, material sourcing, and cell assembly. The integration of novel and sustainable manufacturing technologies will reduce costs and increase competitiveness in the battery market.

Environmental Impact

HyLiST will contribute to the European Green Deal's goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 by reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector. By pioneering eco-friendly processes for manufacturing and recycling SSBs, HyLiST will help establish a circular economy in the battery industry, with minimal environmental impact.

Geopolitical Impact

The development of a domestic, large-scale battery production capacity in Europe will reduce dependence on critical raw materials sourced from outside the region. This will enhance the EU's autonomy in energy storage technologies, creating new opportunities for regional development and fostering a competitive edge in the global battery market.

Workplan

The HyLiST project implementation comprises ten Work Packages (WP).

WP1

Project Coordination

Drives the project’s execution, ensuring seamless collaboration, on-time delivery, and efficient resource management. Maintains compliance, mitigates risks, and maximises impact.

WP2

Technical Requirements  & Specifications

Defines performance targets based on end-user needs and market analysis. Establishes technical and sustainability requirements for EV and aviation batteries, production constraints, and testing protocols.

WP3

Cathode & Anode Processing & upscaling

Optimises and scales up cathode and anode materials for hybrid solid-state electrolyte cells. Validates performance from coin cells to 5 Ah pouch cells, ensuring compatibility and stability.

WP4

Hybrid Solid Electrolyte Processing

Develops, optimises, validates and manufactures hybrid polymer solid electrolyte (HSIPE) using sustainable dry processing. Ensures high ionic conductivity, voltage stability, and seamless integration into cell assembly.

WP5

Interphase Characterisation  & Optimisation

Analyses and enhances interfaces between cell components to improve performance and longevity.

WP6

Cell Production

Manufactures pouch cells at the pilot-line level, defining architecture and optimising production parameters. Evaluates electrochemical performance and provides feedback for modeling and validation.

WP7

Multiphysics & Multiscale Modelling

Develops advanced simulation tools for electrode and cell design. Uses a digital twin approach to accelerate development, optimise performance, and assess safety and lifespan.

WP8

Industrial Proof-of-Concept Validation

Validates final cells through extensive testing for automotive and aviation applications. Assesses large-scale production feasibility and compares methods with conventional manufacturing.

WP9

Life Cycle Assessment & Recycling

Evaluates sustainability, recyclability, and second-life potential compared to current battery technologies. Provides eco-design recommendations and contributes to Battery Passport data collection.

WP10

Communication, Dissemination & Exploitation

Drives the project’s execution, ensuring seamless collaboration, on-time delivery, and efficient resource management. Maintains compliance, mitigates risks, and maximises impact.

Partners

HyLiST brings together a high-level consortium of 13 partners distributed in 9 countries.

The consortium is composed of 3 Universities, 4 Research and Technology Organisations, 3 SMEs and 3 Industrial partners, in which each partner has a clear role defined according to its expertise in order to bring out synergies and ensure well performed activities and quality results.

Austrian Institute of Technology

The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology is Austria’s largest non-university research institute. With its seven Centers, AIT regards itself as a highly specialised research and development partner for industry. Its researchers focus on the key infrastructure issues of the future: Energy, Health & Bioresources, Digital Safety & Security, Vision, Automation & Control, Transport Technologies, Technology Experience and Innovation Systems & Policy. Throughout the whole of Austria – in particular at the main locations Vienna Giefinggasse, Seibersdorf, Wiener Neustadt, Ranshofen and Leoben – around 1,500 employees carry out research on the development of those tools, technologies and solutions that will keep Austria’s economy fit for the future in line with our motto “Tomorrow Today”.

At the AIT Center for Transport Technologies, around 200 experts are working on solutions for sustainable, safe, intelligent and thus future-proof mobility. The focus of the research and development work is on material-based lightweight design, on the electrification of the propulsion train and the storage of electrical energy, as well as on a resilient and safe transport infrastructure. This also includes environmentally compatible and intelligent production technologies for mobility components.

Role: Leader of WP1 Project Coordination

Energies Nouvelles

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. From scientific concepts within the framework of fundamental research, through to technological solutions in the context of applied research, innovation is central to its activities, hinged around four strategic directions: climate, environment and circular economy – renewable energies – sustainable mobility – responsible oil and gas.

As part of the public-interest mission with which it has been tasked by the public authorities, IFPEN focuses its efforts on bringing solutions to the challenges facing society and industry in terms of energy and the climate, to support the ecological transition. An integral part of IFPEN, IFP School, its graduate engineering school, prepares future generations to take up these challenges

Role: Leader of WP7 (Multiphysics & Multiscale Modelling)

Centro de Investigación Cooperativa en Energías Alternativas Fundación, CIC energiGUNE Fundazioa

CIC energiGUNE, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance- BRTA, is a benchmark research center in Europe in the field of batteries thermal energy solutions, and hydrogen. The center counts with the backing of the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Alava, as well as the basque companies directly associated with the energy storage industry. CIC energiGUNE focuses the activity on:

Excellent and breakthrough research in energy storage.
Cooperation with the leading institutes and companies in the field.
High impact results linked to technology transfer to industry.

Role: Contribution to WP3 (Composite cathode formulation and processing); WP4 (Electrolyte Dry-processing and Characterisation); WP5 (Cell Interphase Analysis)

Fundación Cidetec

CIDETEC is a private applied research organisation founded in 1997 aimed at increasing the innovation capacity and competitiveness of companies through the generation and transfer of technological knowledge.

Located in the Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park in San Sebastian, with facilities also at the Gipuzkoa MUBIL Electromobility Hub, CIDETEC integrates three technology centres specialized in Energy Storage, Nanomedicine and Surface Engineering.

Role: Leader of WP4 (Electrolyte dry-processing and characterisation); Contribution to WP5 (Cell Interphase Analysis); WP6 (Cell Production) ; WP7 (Multiphysics Multiscale Modelling of SSB Capturing Ageing Phenomena); WP9 (Life Cycle Assessment and Recycling)

Pulsedeon OY

PULS specializes in pulsed laser deposition technology for inorganic and metallic materials for next generation battery applications. It has a technology center dedicated to pulsed laser deposition processes with integrated gloveboxes for safe and reliable handling of air- sensitive materials like metallic Li and solid-state electrolytes. Three processing units with roll-to-roll deposition capabilities from 50 to 250 mm wide substrates are available. In addition, PULS has a materials’ technology center for developing and producing targets for the PLD process and capabilities for applying various thermal and mechanical post-processing technologies. PULS technology is patented globally.

Role: Leader of WP3 (Cathode and Anode Processing and Upscaling)

Sovema Group S.P.A

Sovema is a worldwide leading company in lead-acid battery manufacturing technologies. The company has a track record which spans over five decades and has developed a solid know-how in all the production phases.

Sovema can deliver turnkey projects covering: oxide production, grid making, pasting, curing, assembling, formation, and finishing lines. Furthermore, Sovema is able to provide any technical solution to meet the requirements of both automotive and industrial battery manufacturers.

Role: Contribution to WP2 (Technical Requirements & Specifications); WP6 (Cell production); WP8 (Industrial PoC Validation)

Specific Polymers

Founded in 2003, SPECIFIC POLYMERS is a French SME with 30 employees acting as a R&D services’ provider in the field of innovative monomers, polymers, coatings and materials. The company was created to meet the needs of international stakeholders by filling the gap between academic and industrial research. SPECIFIC POLYMERS uses its expertise to develop new polymers for the environment (biodegradability, end of life, recycling), energy (batteries, fuel cells), health (biomaterials, nanomedicine) and high performance (aeronautics, space, electronics) topics.

Role: Contribution to WP4 (Development and Upscaled Production of Monomers & Polymers for SPE)

Uppsala Universitet

UU focuses on modern commercial and next-generation Li-ion batteries and future battery chemistries, including solid-state. The main expertise lies in synthesis of electrode and electrolyte materials, electrochemical testing, and development of operando structural and interface characterization techniques. Equally important is the development of battery models to understand the various processes occurring at cell level.

Role: Leader of WP5 (Interphase Characterisation and Optimisation)

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

VUB-EVERGI focuses on developing holistic models that include all aspects of the energy and mobility sector for an integrated approach: ELECTRICITY, MOBILITY, HEAT, COOLING, WATER, DATA, HYDROGEN, E-FUELS.

EVERGI has a special attention for the inclusion of key technologies to enable the energy transition such as electric powertrains for vehicles, automation, bidirectional charging infrastructure, digitalization, Internet-of-Energy, artificial intelligence (machine learning) and several types of assessment. Different levels can be assessed: from specific technological developments to large scale deployment and system consequences. Prospective LCA is also one of the strengths of the group, including process upscaling and temporal developments. Not only capable of performing an environmental LCA, EVERGi can also focus on social LCA, in conjunction with economic assessment.

Role: Leader of WP9 (Life Cycle Assessment and Recycling)

Tampereen Korkeakoulusaatio Sr

Tampere University focuses its research on developing anode materials for next-generation batteries, their characterization, consolidation to PLD targets, and collaborating on their scale-up and optimization. Its expertise in materials processing assists in smooth transition to newer chemistries and related heat treatment design. It also focuses on electrochemical testing of cells and ex-situ characterization of cell interfaces. TAU’s battery materials laboratory and sensitive materials characterization equipment is strongly associated with expanding its materials technology expertise offering its partners possibility to optimize their processes, and pursue materials synthesis, testing, characterization, and in cell assembly, followed by post-mortem studies.

Role: Contribution in WP3 (Cathode and Anode Processing and Upscaling)

Piaggio Aero Industries Spa

Presently Piaggio manufactures the P180 Avanti EVO, the Company flagship product, a twin-engine, turboprop executive aircraft powered by two pusher turboprop. The P180 is the fastest turboprop in production, which has been delivered more than 220 worldwide. The workforce is today of 800 people with a 2023 turnover of 100 Million Euro in which 7% is invested in the R&D activities. The company, with its R&TD department, completely dedicated to the research, has a significant role in the European aerospace Research and Technology activities through affiliation of Euromart Group. Piaggio Aero Industries in A.S. is already a partner of several EU funded research projects covering all the main areas of Aeronautics (structure, materials, advanced computational and experimental fluid-dynamics, innovative on-board systems). Furthermore, the company was one of the Clean Sky 2 programme leaders; in particular, it was entrusted with the leadership and management of SAT (Small Air Transport) framework. Piaggio Aero Industries is a Funding Member of Clean Aviation initiative.

Role: Leader of WP8 (Industrial PoC Validation)

F6S Network Ireland Limited

F6S is a leading global founder and startup network that helps private and public sector entities around the world to promote, communicate and disseminate technical and research projects. F6S stands for F-ounder-S. Our mission is to help founders and startups grow to solve the world’s pressing social, economic, environmental, sustainability and innovation problems. In addition to F6S’ work with governmental entities, we also work with corporates, investors, research institutions, programs, universities and others in the global startup ecosystem. F6S tools deliver company growth through grants, funding, investment, pilot contracts, partnerships, jobs & talent recruitment, company services and more.

Role: Leader of WP10 (Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation)

FEV Europe GmbH

FEV is a globally leading engineering service provider and innovation driver for various industries. The company supplies technological and strategic solutions for the entire transportation and mobility ecosystem as well as the aerospace and energy sectors.