Xerotech, Innolith to bring non-flammable battery to market

(Photo: Xerotech)

Xerotech, a provider of battery pack technology for heavy-duty non-road mobile machinery with join forces with new battery cell technology developer Innolith to launch what the companies said is industry’s first battery packs for electrification of a wide range of applications where fire safety is paramount.

The collaboration will focus on the integration of Innolith’s I-State high energy density, safe and low temperature tolerance cell to Xerotech’s current generation Hibernium battery pack platform. The new Hibernium battery pack option will be based on Innolith’s I-State technology, which utilizes a proprietary electrolyte that is completely non-flammable, even when exposed to extreme temperatures or high levels of stress.

“We are thrilled to be working with Innolith to bring this groundbreaking technology to market,” said Dr Barry Flannery, CEO of Xerotech, based in Galway, Ireland. “Our Hibernium battery pack platform continuously evolves and expands, staying ahead of the market in terms of performance, safety and functionality. Being able to bring battery cell innovations to the market quickly, we are pushing the boundaries of industrial and commercial electrification.”

Innolith’s I-State battery cells are expected to be appealing to industrial sectors, where safety and performance are of the utmost importance. The I-State battery cell’s high energy density, tolerance of extreme hot and cold temperatures and high safety and make it ideal for use in challenging environments, said Xerotech, adding it has the potential to revolutionize the way these industries use batteries, providing a significantly more reliable source of power.

“Batteries are set to run the world and operate in the most challenging environments where exceptional performance is paramount, and any risk of fire would be unacceptable. Many of these applications are crucial for the electrification of all kinds of mobility, including aviation for which conventional battery technology is unsuited,” said Konstantin Solodovnikov, CEO of Innolith in Basel, Switzerland. “Innolith’s partnership with Xerotech will accelerate the adoption of I-State battery technology in these critical applications and make electrification available to even larger number of end-users.”

Xerotech said the I-State cell uses an entirely new battery cell technology based on an innovative inorganic electrolyte that can operate at far higher voltages than traditional li-ion battery cells delivering high energy density and fire safety benefits and enabling a wide temperature operating range from -40o to +60o.

Xerotech plans to start offering battery packs with Innolith I-State battery cells in the coming months, with commercial availability expected in the next year. The companies said they are confident that this partnership will be the start of a long and successful collaboration, bringing innovative energy solutions to customers around the world.

Innolith runs a battery cell research program at its laboratory in Bruchsal, Germany, where it is pioneering a next generation EV battery technology based on a proprietary electrolyte that delivers cells with lower cost, high energy density along with higher safety and temperature performance.