Project

High-pErformance moduLar battery packs for sustaInable urban electrOmobility Services

Electric batteries are a strategic driver within the European Union quest for the transition to a clean and digital economy. An essential key enabling technology to the automotive sector’s competitiveness in the global market, the European Commission is investing in ground-breaking battery and electric vehicles (EVs) know-how to make Europe a leader in their sustainable production and use.

Applying a holistic circular approach, the HELIOS project investigates optimal eco-designs and advanced processes to both enhance and demonstrate innovative, lighter and eco-friendly hybrid Li-Ion-based battery packs for mid-size vehicles and city busses.

HELIOS believes that a new concept of standardised, modular and scalable battery pack is possible, and that it will be efficient for use in a varied range of applications. Capitalising on advanced materials and top-notch modelling Big Data and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), the new battery pack is expected to combine improved autonomy and charging performance with enhanced safety standards and a minimum carbon footprint.

HELIOS’ key strategic objectives

HELIOS aims at assessing the effectiveness, circularity and sustainability of urban mobility models that are based on the use of EV fleets, such as car-sharing and e-busses fleet. The hope is to contribute to the global deployment of such services, increasing their positive impact on reducing CO2 emissions.

HELIOS wants to contribute to the creation of a solid and integrated Pan-European supply chain to manufacture, reuse and recycle Li-Ion EV batteries, based on economy of scale and supported by major sector players.

Fostering the collaboration between car manufactures and high-tech European SMEs, HELIOS aims at facilitating the penetration of new actors in the market, so that they can supply innovative technologies and services to the automotive industry.

By establishing standardised methodologies and protocols for data processing from EV batteries, HELIOS wishes to generate open databases and libraries for the automotive industry to improve on current designs and manufacturing, as well as registering patents for its innovations in battery pack design, standardisation, manufacturing, sensors, power electronics, thermal management and ICTs.

The Project Consortium and some data

More than half of the 18 partners contributing to the HELIOS project come from technical universities and research and technology institutes. Their world-renowned expertise in modelling, process design optimisation in relation to a Circular Economy Approach, and prototype testing harmoniously complement the highly skilled and innovative SMEs that also participate in the consortium. In addition, four industrial partners have been carefully selected to cover all project-related sectors and value chains in Europe. The latter are expected to contribute with their solid manufacturing expertise and business acumen to deploy and further exploit the technologies developed and results achieved within HELIOS.

Increase the energy density of Li-ion battery packs with a reduction of 30% in weight and 20% in volume, improving the overall performance of urban electromobility fleets

Enhance ultra-fast charging with minimum degradation, by optimising the thermal management system and power electronics, targeting a roundtrip efficiency above 90% and a 25% shorter recharging time

Improve circular economy processes within manufacturing, assembling, disassembling and recycling, also validating new functionalities and applications for second life batteries

Reduce CO2 emissions associated to operating electric vehicles by optimising recharging schedules and tracing the carbon footprint of EV fleets, thus improving the overall fleet sustainability.

The technologies, designs and processes developed by the HELIOS project are expected to significantly impact a number of specific markets and industries, such as:

Mid-size EV fleets, such as car-sharing, taxi fleets, company fleets, delivery fleets:
EV manufacturing industry;
Electric buses;
Stationary Energy Storage markets;
Battery recycling;
Battery Management Systems producers

Project

High-pErformance moduLar battery packs for sustaInable urban electrOmobility Services

HELIOS’ key strategic objectives

The Project Consortium and some data

Helios has the potential to

HELIOS Target markets

Project work packages

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