JOHNSON MATTHEY BATTERY SYSTEMS ENGINEERING LIMITED

Their core work

JMBS (formerly Axeon) designs and engineers battery systems for automotive and heavy-duty vehicle applications. They specialize in integrating lithium-ion battery packs into hybrid and plug-in vehicle platforms, handling the complex engineering between cell chemistry and vehicle-level requirements. As part of the Johnson Matthey group, they bring industrial-scale battery expertise to European collaborative R&D, particularly in optimizing battery architectures for commercial and passenger vehicles.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

JMBS's H2020 participation spans 2015–2017 entry points, all within the vehicle electrification domain. Their earliest project (ECOCHAMPS) focused broadly on commercial hybrid automotive powertrains, while later projects narrowed toward specific vehicle segments — heavy-duty hybrids (ORCA) and optimised plug-in battery systems (GHOST). This suggests a progression from general hybrid powertrain work toward more specialized battery architecture and optimization challenges.

JMBS moved from broad hybrid powertrain participation toward focused battery system optimization, indicating deeper specialization in battery engineering for electrified transport.

How they like to work

JMBS operates exclusively as a participant, never coordinating projects, which is consistent with a specialist contributor providing battery engineering expertise to larger consortia. With 51 unique partners across just 3 projects, they work in large Innovation Action consortia typical of the Transport pillar. Their varying funding levels (from €15K to €617K) suggest their role ranges from targeted component supply to substantial engineering contributions depending on the project.

JMBS has collaborated with 51 unique partners across 10 countries through large transport-focused Innovation Action consortia. Their network reflects the broad European automotive R&D ecosystem rather than a tight cluster of repeat partners.

What sets them apart

JMBS brings dedicated battery systems engineering capability backed by the Johnson Matthey industrial group — a combination of deep battery expertise and corporate-scale manufacturing credibility that few specialist contributors can match. Their experience spans passenger, commercial, and heavy-duty vehicle segments, making them a versatile battery integration partner. Based in Dundee with roots as Axeon, they represent a rare UK-based battery systems engineering firm with proven EU consortium experience.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ECOCHAMPS
  Largest project by far (€617K to JMBS), addressing competitiveness of European hybrid and automotive powertrains across commercial vehicle segments.
• GHOST
  Directly aligned with JMBS's core identity — physically optimised battery systems for plug-in vehicles, representing their most specialized contribution.