Robert Bosch GmbH, BASF, Wacker Chemie AG, SGL Group, Daimler, BMW, and other German companies cooperate to develop in three years’ time lithium-ion automotive batteries with an energy density of over 250 Wh/kg. This is roughly twice the rating of some of today’s lithium ion batteries.

Bosch will take the lead in the joint Alpha-Laion project, which kicks off immediately under Germany’s National Platform for Electric Mobility (Nationalen Plattform Elektromobilität). The investment is approx. $43 million. $13 million is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie; BMWi). The partners will be responsible for funding the remaining million.

• Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany