Faraday Battery Challenge Round 5

Funding for projects to deliver breakthrough advances in sustainable propulsion battery technologies for electric vehicles

The Faraday Battery Challenge, part of UK Research and Innovation, and delivered by Innovate UK, is looking for projects that will deliver innovative developments in sustainable propulsion battery technologies.

The Faraday Battery Challenge Round 5 Innovation competition will invest up to £25 million, subject to business case approval. This will support technologies with the potential to enter the automotive market within the next decade.

Competition scope

The competition aims to move UK battery innovations from technological potential towards commercial capability. Additional aims are to develop and secure material and manufacturing supply chains for battery technologies in the UK.

It is designed to support the research and development of the most promising, innovative and sustainable battery technologies for the propulsion of electric vehicles in the automotive sector.

The competition is particularly interested in applications that use a combination of innovations in:

• process improvements
• cell chemistry
• cell to pack efficiency
• novel design concepts.

To achieve one or more of the following:

• high power and high energy density, where safety can enable high performance applications
• low cost and lower energy density technologies with lower reliance on critical minerals such as cobalt and nickel
• technologies enabling high cycle life
• technologies developing sustainable batteries, that for example:
  • improve resource efficiency
  • reduce energy intensity of processes
  • increase recyclability
• building and securing the UK supply chain
• development of more efficient and globally competitive manufacturing processes.

Eligibility and how to apply

To be eligible for funding, projects must:

• be led by a UK-registered business or organisation of any size
• have total costs between £500,000 and £12 million for collaborative research and development (CR&D) projects or £100,000 and £750,000 for feasibility studies
• last up to 24 months for CR&D projects or up to 12 months for feasibility studies
• start on 1 January 2023
• carry out all project work in the UK

Projects must balance specific technical, market and business requirements for developing emerging technologies and enable UK competitiveness across the battery value chain.

The competition is split into two strands:

• Collaborative Research and Development - find out more and apply now
• Feasibility Studies - find out more and apply now

You must submit your funding application by 11:00 on 17 August 2022.

First published 24 May 2022