UK battery technology company Integrals Power has been selected to supply its patented manganese-rich Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP) cathode active material to OLiMPUS – a €9 million Horizon Europe project to develop and industrialise cost-effective, safe, and sustainable LMFP battery cells using a European supply chain. Following the successful completion of the project, mass production of LMFP cells in Europe is targeted by 2032, with electric vehicles and maritime as the main applications.
Coordinated by leading Norwegian research organisation SINTEF, OLiMPUS brings together 16 partners from across the entire battery value chain. These include Volvo Trucks, Magna Steyr, and cell manufacturer Verkor, alongside synthetic graphite anode supplier Vianode and Corvus Energy – an energy storage specialist serving the maritime sector. In addition to producing and supply more than 150 kg of LMFP cathode active material, Integrals Power is also responsible for scaling-up and industrialising the manufacturing process and assisting cell prototyping and performance validation.
The project, which runs until 2030, will see over 130 automotive-grade cells produced on SINTEF’s pilot lines and Verkor Gigafactory Facilities, in both pouch and prismatic form factors and in capacities from 10-80Ah. Target energy density is up to 220Wh/kg. Sustainability is another key metric: water is used as a solvent instead of toxic and highly flammable NMP, a semi-dry electrode coating process uses far less energy in the drying stage than conventional wet slurries, and synthetic graphite for the anode further reduces the overall carbon footprint. Compared to a benchmark Nickel Cobalt Manganese chemistry – NMC811 – OLiMPUS is forecast to reduce lifecycle CO2-equivalent emissions by approximately 1.8 million tonnes by 2050.
Integrals Power Founder and CEO, Behnam Hormozi, said: “Our participation in OLiMPUS is the clearest demonstration yet that Integrals Power’s patented LMFP technology is a key enabler for establishing sovereign battery capability in the UK and Europe. Third-party testing has already proven its high energy density, cycle life, and cold weather performance, and this project represents the next milestone in its development as we optimise the materials and processes for scale-up.
“A successful transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources can only be achieved with a robust, transparent, sustainable, and cost-effective battery supply chain, and that requires alternatives to cell chemistries and manufacturing reliant on critical minerals and Chinese technology. The OLiMPUS project is laying the foundations for this, and we are extremely proud to be a part of it.”
Integrals Power’s LMFP material has a high manganese content of 80%, which enables up to 20% greater energy density than conventional LFP while retaining its key advantages of cost, safety, and long cycle life. This combination of attributes, together with freedom from expensive Nickel and Cobalt, makes it a compelling alternative to NMC, which is still the dominant cell chemistry for EVs made by European and North American vehicle manufacturers.
OLiMPUS forecasts cell-level costs at €56-65/kWh, and €67-75 /kWh at pack level: this compares favourably with costs achieved by some Chinese manufacturers of around €64/kWh at pack-level for LFP, and €82/kWh for NMC.1 China dominates the global battery market for both LFP and NMC chemistries, so establishing production of the breakthrough LMFP chemistry in Europe will provide an ideal solution to all industries seeking an alternative to China that provides the performance needed at an affordable cost.
Target applications for OLiMPUS cells include EVs, shipping and other applications. Maritime is a sector facing acute pressure to decarbonise, with most of the global fleet powered by fossil fuels, with the result that it accounts for some 5% of the world’s total oil consumption each.2 Battery-electric propulsion is well-suited to many types of vessel, and LMFP’s properties make it the ideal cell chemistry. Maritime and automotive are key industries for Integrals Power’s range of LMFP and LFP cathode active materials, together with defence and grid-scale energy storage.
