Latin America. BASF has been selected by Cellforce Group, a joint venture between Porsche AG and Customcells Itzehoe GmbH, as the exclusive cell development partner for its next-generation lithium-ion batteries. In collaboration, BASF provides high-energy HED TM NCM cathode materials for high-performance battery cells that enable fast charging and high energy density.
Cellforce Group, based in Tübingen, will manufacture the high-performance batteries. Cellforce's production facility is scheduled to come online in 2024 with an initial capacity of at least 100 MWh per year and will produce batteries for around 1,000 sports and high-performance vehicles.
As the world's leading supplier of high-performance cathode materials with a strong research and development network, BASF is ideally placed to work with partners to make a contribution to a circular economy. With its preliminary product production facility for cathode materials in Harjavalta, Finland, and for cathode materials in Schwarzheide, Brandenburg, BASF will be able to offer battery materials with an outstanding sustainability record from 2022.
This is possible thanks to responsible and reliable procurement of raw materials, while BASF strives for the lowest CO2. Production waste from the Cellforce Group's future battery production facility is recycled at BASF's prototype battery recycling facility in Schwarzheide, thus closing the loop. Lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese are recycled in a hydrometallurgical process and returned to BASF's production process for cathode materials.
"We are pleased to be working with Porsche and Cellforce Group on the development of future high-performance batteries for electric vehicles and working towards our common goal of sustainable mobility," says Markus Kamieth, Member of the Board of Management of BASF SE. "Thanks to our strong research and development expertise, BASF cathode materials are tailored to Porsche's specific needs. In addition, thanks to our efficient manufacturing process, the high proportion of renewable energy, upstream integration into key raw materials and short transport routes along the value chain, they will have low co₂ emissions leaders in the industry. With battery recycling, we can ensure that valuable materials remain in the production cycle and reduce CO2 – further reduce the footprint of our cathode materials by a total of up to 60%."
By 2030, as a car manufacturer, Porsche would like to be CO2 neutral on balance sheet. A low CO2 footprint, closed-loop recycling and sustainability are increasingly at the forefront," says Michael Steiner, Member of the Research and Development Board of Porsche AG. "Working with BASF is a win-win situation.
European sources of nickel and cobalt materials, the associated security of supply and short transport routes from Schwarzheide to Baden-Württemberg were all important arguments for the decision to work with BASF. Battery cells, especially cathode materials are the focus of considerations. We are excited to work with BASF to bring eco-friendly cell technology to series production."
