Think of your phone battery dying faster every year — now imagine the same problem but for electric cars and power grids, where replacing batteries costs thousands. This project took the proven lithium-ion battery chemistry and pushed it further: more energy packed into the same space, longer lifespan, and a plan for recycling them at end of life. Led by VARTA, the team built real battery cells across three generations, each one better than the last, hitting 800 Wh/L energy density — meaning more power without making batteries bigger. They also focused on cutting the cost per charge cycle, which is what actually matters when you're running batteries day after day.
Lithium-ion batteries still cost too much per charge cycle for many applications, and current recycling processes were not designed alongside the battery chemistry. Companies building EVs, portable electronics, and grid storage need cells that pack more energy into the same space while lasting longer — and they need to meet upcoming EU recycling mandates without redesigning their supply chains from scratch.
The project produced three generations of 21700-format cells (30 cells each) progressing from 700 to 800 Wh/L energy density, plus two generations of CoinPower micro-cells with up to 15% improved capacity. All cells targeted 70% capacity retention after 300 full cycles. An integrated recycling concept and full lifecycle assessment were developed alongside the cell chemistry.
If you are an EV battery pack integrator struggling with range limitations and high per-cycle costs — this project developed 21700-format cells achieving 800 Wh/L energy density with 70% capacity retention after 300 full charge-discharge cycles. That means denser packs with predictable degradation curves, directly reducing warranty risk and improving vehicle range.
If you are a device manufacturer needing more runtime from tiny batteries — this project produced CoinPower cells with 15% improved capacity over current commercial cells. VARTA, a leading micro-battery supplier, coordinated the work, meaning these improvements are designed for real production lines, not just lab benches.
If you are a recycling company preparing for the EU Battery Regulation's mandatory recovery targets — this project developed an integrated recycling concept alongside the battery chemistry, covering the full cradle-to-grave lifecycle. With 10 consortium partners across 6 countries including materials specialists, the recycling processes were designed to work with the specific chemistries being produced.
The project's core KPI was €/kWh/cycle — cost per unit of energy per charge cycle — rather than just upfront price. By improving energy density to 800 Wh/L and maintaining 70% capacity at 300 cycles, the per-cycle economics improve significantly. Exact pricing data is not publicly available, but the focus on this metric shows the technology was optimized for total cost of ownership.
Yes — the project used standard 21700 cell format, which is already mass-produced worldwide for EVs and power tools. VARTA Microbattery, a major commercial battery manufacturer, coordinated the project and produced three generations of cells. The deliverables explicitly mention production of 30 cells per generation in the 21700 format, demonstrating manufacturing feasibility.
The project was coordinated by VARTA Microbattery (Germany) with 10 partners. IP ownership typically follows Horizon 2020 grant agreement rules, where each partner owns the IP they generate. The objective mentions plans to exploit results in an IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) project, suggesting commercialization pathways are actively being pursued. Licensing inquiries should be directed to VARTA or the relevant consortium partner.
The project explicitly evaluated competing technologies and concluded that lithium-sulfur lacks acceptable cycle life, lithium-air has major unsolved problems, and all-solid-state batteries are not ready except possibly in polymer versions. They chose to advance lithium-ion specifically because it offers the fastest time to market with proven reliability.
The project included a full cradle-to-grave lifecycle assessment (LCA) to measure environmental impact. With the EU Battery Regulation mandating recycled content targets and collection rates, having a battery chemistry designed alongside its recycling process gives manufacturers a compliance advantage. Based on available project data, the recycling concept was integrated from the start rather than added as an afterthought.
The project produced and tested real cells: Gen1 21700 cells at 700 Wh/L, Gen2 and Gen3 21700 cells at 800 Wh/L, all targeting 70% capacity retention after 300 full cycles. CoinPower cells achieved 10% (Gen1) and 15% (Gen2) improved capacity over commercial baselines. These are measured results from physical prototypes, not simulations.
The ECO2LIB consortium of 10 partners across 6 countries (Austria, Germany, France, Poland, Sweden, UK) is exceptionally well-balanced for commercialization: 5 industry partners and 2 SMEs make up half the consortium, with VARTA Microbattery — a major commercial battery producer — leading the project. The remaining 3 universities and 2 research organizations provide the scientific backbone. With an EUR 7,999,730 EU contribution and a 50% industry ratio, this is not an academic exercise — it is an industry-driven project where the coordinator already manufactures and sells the exact product category being improved. The multi-country spread covers key European battery manufacturing hubs.
VARTA Microbattery GmbH (Germany) — contact via SciTransfer for introductions to the research team
Want to explore licensing these battery improvements or connecting with the consortium? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right technical contact at VARTA or partner organizations.
