23-25 May, 2023
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Energy Storage
CIDETEC Energy Storage will work on the batteries for these heavy vehicles, which have a range of up to 750 km and are expected to be marketable in 2029.
As part of the European Union’s strategy to electrify the transport network of our roads, the European research project EMPOWER (Eco-operated, Modular, highly efficient, and flexible multi-POWERtrain for long-haul heavy-duty vehicles) has begun, in which CIDETEC Energy Storage participates. Over the next four years, two flexible, modular, and scalable heavy vehicles will be developed, powered by a zero-emission electric propulsion system and with a total weight of at least 40 tons.
One of the trucks will have a fuel cell system and will reach up to 750 km of autonomy. The other, powered solely by batteries, will be able to travel up to 400 kilometres on a single charge. The battery-powered electric truck is designed to be used in regional distribution, while the hydrogen-powered truck is intended for long-distance journeys.
On the other hand, the autonomy and performance of the two trucks will be demonstrated in five different use cases, with various scenarios and distances, including cross-border corridors between different member states of the European Union. Modular and scalable EMPOWER technology can be transferred to VECTO 4, 5, and 10 vehicle groups, and is designed to achieve TCO parity with the conventional diesel truck 2020 benchmark by 2030, with a production volume of more than 10,000 vehicles/year.
Representatives of the 14 project partners, including CIDETEC Energy Storage, attended the project launch meeting that recently took place at the AIT headquarters in Vienna. With a budget of around 18 million euros, the two vehicles are expected to be delivered with a Technology Readiness Level of 8 upon completion of the project at the end of 2026, and it is expected that they will begin to be commercialised in 2029.
CIDETEC Energy Storage, as an expert partner in battery development, will contribute to:
- Providing technical support to the plant in general, especially in relation to the battery.
- Providing technical support to the modelling and simulation of batteries through CFD analysis (computational fluid dynamics).
- Developing BMS functionalities aimed at improving battery usage.
- Carrying out battery tests at the cell, module, and battery pack level, including the battery management system, or BMS, together with ageing and HIL configuration tests (hardware in the loop).
- Optimising the control of driving assistance to achieve optimal use of the battery while driving.
- Analysing the adequacy of any charging operation prioritises cost, operation, and availability.
- Contributing to charging and driving strategies incorporating the consequences in the medium and long term on the battery.
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Europe is making a great effort to adapt to the requirements of new mobility and energy efficiency. A substantial number of gigafactories will be required for the manufacturing of large-scale batteries, but it is also critical to have flexible and adaptable production, on a smaller scale, to validate new materials technologies and generate final products for specific applications.
The growing demand from customers has led CIDETEC, leader in the development of battery technology in Europe, to create CIDEcell. Its production is aimed at material manufacturers, technologists and battery manufacturers, as well as niche market battery applications, among others. The spin-off will produce customized electrodes and cells, tailored to each customer’s needs, offering a service focused on agility and flexibility.
CIDEcell is coming onto the market with a broad technological portfolio that includes advanced lithium ion batteries, solid electrolyte, sodium ion, lithium sulfur and supercapacitors. The new company’s products are characterised by the use of innovative materials, including silicon anodes or high nickel and/or cobalt-free cathodes. The new company also offers the possibility of manufacturing low environmental impact electrodes using aqueous-based processes, free of volatile organic compounds.
With an initial workforce of five employees, production will reach 10MWh per year, with cell capacities ranging from one to 100Ah. Initially, the cells will be manufactured in pouch format in various sizes tailored to customer requirements, but with the focus on new prismatic and cylindrical dimensions within a year.
The company already has a customer portfolio, as a result of business relationships established in recent years at CIDETEC.
CIDETEC Energy Storage will contribute its knowledge in characterization and modelling of battery-packs to achieve the decarbonization of the sector.
The transport industry is the most dependent on fossil fuels, representing 37% of CO2 emissions. In addition, the commercial freight transport sector is expected to increase in the coming years. To tackle global warming, the European Union aims to become a CO2-free economy by 2050. In this long process, research organizations, technology companies and manufacturers need to join forces to achieve the common goal.
NextETRUCK will play a pioneering role in this process, contributing to the development of innovative, affordable and competitive next-generation electric freight vehicles. The project aims to improve the energy efficiency of electric vehicles, increasing by at least 10% the current market standards, improving charging speed and developing a competitive business model to increase end-user acceptance and foster market acceptance of the project solutions. The adaptation to the different climatic conditions is also a central aspect in which the partners will work, to adapt the solutions to the new business models.
The extensive experience of CIDETEC Energy Storage in R&D in characterization and modelling of battery packs, as a critical component of electric vehicle propulsion systems, will be translated into simulation and modelling activities.
The project will display three real cases for evaluation and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the results: one in Turkey, one in Barcelona and another in the Netherlands.
The NextETRUCK consortium is made up of:
– Vehicle manufacturers: Ford, IRIZAR, Tevva
– Component manufacturers: AVL, PANION, JEMA
– ITS and connected IoT services: DATIK, AVL
– Universities, Technological Research Organizations and Consultancies: VUB, TNO, AIT, CERTH, Tecnalia, CIDETEC Energy Storage, CENEX
– Associations: POLIS, ERTIC
NextETRUCK has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 101056740.
The new headquarters, located in Eskuzaitzeta, will promote a sustainable economic growth strategy for Gipuzkoa and centralize policies to combat climate change in the region
The official inauguration of Naturklima’s offices – the Gipuzkoa Foundation for the Fight Against Climate Change – on March 17th marked the first public building in the Basque Country to be built to Passive House construction standards. More than 120 collaborators attended the opening ceremony, joining the Department of Environment Gipuzkoa Provincial Council’s in its commitment to this reference centre, whose main mission is to turn the climate challenge into an opportunity for ecological transformation in Gipuzkoa.
CIDETEC will support Naturklima in its goal to develop a Circular Battery Ecosystem, a strategic project to promote Gipuzkoa benchmarking in sustainable mobility, circular economy, and energy transition. The project aims to make Gipuzkoa a competitive player in the recovery of electric batteries, a global demand that is constantly increasing. Along these lines, a small battery research and recovery centre will be created to solve the problem of energy storage and the shortage of materials in Gipuzkoa.
Thanks to a recently signed Collaboration agreement, CIDETEC and Naturklima are already collaborating to develop scientific, technological, and management knowledge in order to consolidate a value chain for the recycling and reuse of batteries in Gipuzkoa.
