FAQ

Our innovation is a brand-new class of  battery electrolytes. It is liquid like in a conventional Li-ion technology but inorganic. Its proprietary formula delivers unique characteristics that were not possible to be achieved by the predecessor technologies. It combines ease of use and cost advantages during manufacturing of battery cells with non-flammability, high voltage stability and high conductivity, like it is promised by Solid State technologies. Our technology combines the best of both conventional Li-ion and Solid State promise while being ready now and staying cost and performance competitive even with the best of existing battery cells in the market.

That is the technology deserved to have a name of its own. We came up with a new name for technology containing “STATE” as a statement of advanced performance and safety parameters. And “I” stands for “Innolith” and “Inorganic” at the same time.

I-STATE is also very much about integration with other leading-edge materials to deliver the most pragmatic and fast paced approach to future innovation (Li-metal, Mn-based cathodes, next-gen advanced cathode materials). Also use of Silicon in anodes combined with our electrolyte would add even more performance vs a conventional Li-ion.

It is already far superior to the conventional Li-ion batteries in all key parameters. Validated by P3, VDE, ZSW and many automotive and battery OEMs plus end-users from other industries.

• I-STATE has high voltage stability beyond 5V vs 4,2-4,3V of conventional Li-ion. Conductivity of I-STATE electrolyte at room temperature is 4 times higher than of conventional liquid electrolytes with organic solvents. High voltage stability enables higher utilization of the cathode’s capacity upto 100% of available Lithium, resulting in higher energy density (both gravimetric and volumetric) and lower cathode metal use per kWh.
• I-STATE cells can be discharged at -40°C with >70% and charged at -20°C to >80% of capacity (performance of conventional Li-ion drops dramatically at temperatures below 0°C).
• I-STATE has no flash point. Energy release in case of an accidental thermal runaway is 40-50% less vs conventional Li-ion, thus reducing the risk of fire propagation.
• I-STATE has very low surface tension and dynamic viscosity and a high transference number that enables cell filling and closing almost instantaneously during production. Electrolyte is much less sensitive to moisture in the production area that reduces dry room CAPEX and energy consumption.
• I-STATE works well with Li-metal (anode free), Mn-based cathodes and advanced cathode materials.

I-STATE electrolyte is manufactured on a pilot scale already. The production process is developed and test-proven. We have established a complete supply chain of all the raw materials and partner companies for electrolyte production. Since there are no rare, complex or pricy raw materials in I-STATE electrolyte, we are confident to achieve a similar cost compare to the conventional Li-ion on a per kWh basis. I-STATE enables higher utilization of the available specific capacity of NMC and other cathodes. For the same cell capacity one would need less cathodes or can get higher capacity while using the same quantity of cathode as in conventional Li-ion. Having higher capacity and lower weight of a cell vs conventional Li-ion, I-STATE helps to increase production output from any existing lines and thus to reduce share of CAPEX and other fixed costs per kWh. I-STATE has a number of advantages in the manufacturing process. Combined effect of low sensitivity towards water (no or minimum dry room requirements) and faster proprietary electrolyte filling as well as formation and aging processes.

Our focus is cylindrical 21700 format as the most common battery format to-date (for example, Tesla uses cylindrical cells in their EV cars), standardized manufacturing processes, easier produced using mass-scale equipment, higher throughput capacity of production lines and more automation, less capital intensive per kWh of production output. The equipment and full production processes are ready for faster installation and ramp up. We have already produced full cell B-samples and the format is well accepted by a variety of partners across multiple e-Mobility applications.

Innolith fully owns all of its IP. And, yes, the patents are registered in all the manufacturing and end-user countries. We have 429 patents worldwide, of which 338 are granted and another 91 are pending.

I-STATE technology is safer than conventional Li-ion and as safe as Solid State (what is advertised about SSB). The electrolyte has no flash point. Energy release in case of an accidental thermal runaway is 40-50% less vs conventional Li-ion, thus reducing the risk of fire propagation. I-STATE is a liquid electrolyte. Same as conventional Li-ion, one has to preserve certain basic safety rules when handling or charging / discharging the cells.

Well, you won’t innovate if you don’t set a high ambition. That said, we are no longer pursuing the direction set during the first years after establishment of the company.

We had some very promising technology concept ideas and preliminary test results when making a bold statement of 1000 Wh/kg. That was prior to evaluating the right tech to use for e-mobility applications. Ultimately, it turned out to be not feasible for automotive standards and a much longer technology to develop and commercialize.

In 2019 we have started with a brand-new approach, have registered new patents and have successfully produced highly competitive full cell 21700 B-samples since December 2021, comfortably delivering 300 Wh/kg (>825 Wh/l) in independent third-party tests.

Our technology roadmap contains development of 21700 cells with Li-Metal. Energy density of those cells will exceed 400 Wh/kg (>1000 Wh/l). For more details on our innovation roadmap, please refer to the Technology section of this site.

Yes, extensively. We have done independent valuation and rigorous testing on the widest range of parameters – by P3, VDE, ZSW as well as multiple Automotive and Battery OEMs and end-user companies in various industries.

Sky is the limit for the I-STATE technology as it is set to be compatible with virtually all material innovations out there. Detailed innovation roadmap can be found in the Technology section of this site.

High voltage stable liquid inorganic electrolyte (up to 5V depending on a chemistry) enables development and subsequent production of battery cells with higher capacity using less cathode materials while achieving higher energy density and better safety vs conventional Li-ion, using standard production equipment and mass-produced raw materials.

Additionally, high voltage enables use of completely new next-gen cathode materials that is absolutely not possible with the organic solvents and voltage limit of 4,2-4,3V.

• Lower cost per kWh – up to 10%,
• Higher energy density – 300 Wh/kg, 825 Wh/l,
• Wider temperature range – charging at -20°C to 60°C and discharging at -40°C to 60°C,
• Fast charge capability – up to 4C continuous and 15C pulse C-rates,
• Sustainable – first fully recyclable electrolyte salt and solvent in addition to the traditional cathode and anode materials,
• Higher safety – lower fire propagation risk due to 40%-50% less energy release in case of a thermal runaway.

Innolith and SolidState have very similar performance targets as both technologies follow the same path of inventing a new electrolyte that enables the use of Lithium metal in order to achieve the highest energy density while improving cell performance in other parameters as well.

Contrary to Solid State, I-STATE technology of Innolith is ready for industrialization right now and at lower cost per kWh than conventional Li-ion. I-STATE does not have manufacturability and raw material supply challenges of Solid State. This advantage is hard to bit even with the most ambitious promises of Solid State technologies.

Most definitely. I-STATE enables development and subsequent production of battery cells with higher capacity using less cathode materials while achieving higher energy density vs conventional Li-ion. I-STATE cells can be manufactured using the same equipment and raw materials used for conventional Li-ion, making switching costs negligibly low. A total cost advantage vs conventional Li-ion can be as high as 10% per kWh. Solid State technologies are not competitive with conventional Li-ion at the current stage of their development. There is an industry consensus that Solid State will continue to have cost challenges well after 2030 if it can be achieved at all.

I-STATE technology is available and ready for industrialization and future mass-production in two types as a high-energy cell and a high-power cell for e-mobility applications. The main focus of Innolith is BEV car manufacturing. Industrial, marine, UAM, aerospace, mining and 2-3 wheelers would be other suitable applications for I-STATE as well. In general, any industry with higher performance, lower cost, higher safety and recyclability requirements can benefit from I-STATE, as we break through the barriers of existing Li-ion battery cells.

Innolith is open to a licensing model negotiations with the first partner companies. Interested parties are invited to reach out to the business development team of Innolith using this website contact form. The terms of a license agreement are designed to protect licensees from a potential conflict of interest with Innolith if and when the company goes into its own production. The ultimate goal of Innolith is to become a battery cell manufacturer jointly with its partners and supply I-STATE battery cells to Auto OEMs and across other industries. Innolith is seeking technology development and industrialization partners in order to speed up commercialization of the newly developed technology.

I-STATE allows application of many advanced materials, including but not limited to Li-Metal (anode-free), LFMP, LNMO and Mn-rich NMC. High voltage stability and exceptional conductivity at various temperatures make I-STATE an ideal platform to the use of next-generation cathode materials that cannot be even tested with the conventional Li-ion.

I-STATE is the world’s first battery cell technology with fully recyclable electrolyte salt and solvent in addition to the traditional cathode and anode materials. Using less cathode metals per kWh results in lower CO2 footprint of I-STATE battery cells.

I-STATE can be produced using the existing (state-of-the-art) battery cell manufacturing equipment, raw materials and processes. Switching costs for existing manufacturers or a construction of a new production site will be cost competitive with the conventional Li-ion. There is only one piece of equipment that is different from the conventional Li-ion production process. It is an electrolyte filling unit. Innolith has developed this piece of equipment jointly with engineering companies in Europe. The first industrial machine is ready to be produced for a pilot scale of production for a potential licensee of I-STATE technology or a manufacturing partner of Innolith.

Our technology inventors – Dr. Laurent Zinck and Markus Borck – worked over 18 years, starting in 2000, in research and development of inorganic liquid electrolyte technologies. During those years they had worked in the multiple battery start-ups until five years ago they decided to set up their own – and Innolith was born. Laurent and Markus found external investors that shared their vision of the world’s universal e-mobility, enabled by a high energy battery innovation with higher safety and at lower cost. This vision later became our current “E-mobility freedom for all”.

Laurent and Markus worked in ALEVO from the start and until the company filed for bankruptcy in 2017. They were employed to run the R&D team in Germany, reporting to the CTO of ALEVO. Both had never been members of the management team of ALEVO, not to mention that there was no investment or other form of entrepreneurial engagement with the team of businessmen who founded and ran ALEVO.

After Innolith was established and funded by new investors in 2018, Laurent and Markus received financial means to bid amongst other contenders for the assets of failed ALEVO. Innolith made a successful bid for purchase of the IP sold by the bankruptcy administration of ALEVO. As a poison pill with the IP, ALEVO sold to Innolith some old projects in the US and the production site in Switzerland. All of those projects have been closed step by step during 2019-2020. IP portfolio of ALEVO was acquired by Innolith as it consists of the basic background patents of the inorganic liquid electrolyte (future I-STATE technology developed by Innolith team on its own).

ALEVO used to develop a power cell technology suitable mainly for grid frequency regulation. Innolith validated this technology in 2019 after purchasing of the IP and old projects of ALEVO, and arrived to the conclusion that a new invention of Innolith team made on its own in 2018-2019 of electrolyte suitable for energy cell development for e-mobility has a higher commercialization potential due to bigger target applicable market, higher performance and lower cost.

Starting from 2020, Innolith is fully focused on the development of a 21700 energy cell for EVs and other e-mobility applications. Technically, it is a completely different cell – standard industry cylinder using state-of-the art materials and equipment vs old proprietary prismatic cell with thick foam based electrodes. The old ALEVO and newly developed I-STATE technologies are simply not comparable by performance, cost per kWh, sustainability and safety parameters.

Innolith does not employ any former members of the executive management team of ALEVO.

Our newly developed 21700 high-energy and high-power cells with NMC811/Gr are fully ready for the next stage of industrialization on a pilot-scale and preparation to the mass production on a giga-scale. Currently we are manufacturing full cell samples and distributing them to various interested parties amongst the largest Auto and Battery OEMs as well as to large end-users from other industries (aerospace, marine, industrial, mining, UAM and 2-3 wheelers).

Our technology roadmap contains development of 21700 cells with higher energy density of 320 Wh/kg based on the same chemistry NMC811/Gr. The next technologies will be based on high-Nickel NMC and Graphite and Silicon anode, LMR (Mn-rich NMC), LNMO and LFMP cathodes and a Li-Metal (anode-free). All of those technologies have been tested and proven at the concept stage. We have successfully manufactured world first Li-metal cell in 21700 format with energy density of >400 Wh/kg in December 2021.

For more details on our innovation roadmap, please refer to the Technology section of this site.

All new hiring is temporarily put on hold.

All new hiring is temporarily put on hold.

All the internship programs are temporarily put on hold.

It started in 2000 with our technology inventors – Dr. Laurent Zinck and Markus Borck, who had a vision of the world’s universal electric mobility, enabled by a high energy battery innovation.

After 18 years of researching inorganic liquid electrolyte technologies and working in the multiple battery start-ups, five years ago they have decided to set up their own – and Innolith was born.

The company has raised several rounds of capital from its existing shareholders. At the moment Innolith has invested in the R&D of its proprietary battery cell technology more than US$ 120 million.

Innolith is a private company with several shareholders, including our technology inventors and some existing and former members of the Board and the management team. The company implemented a Long-Term Incentive Program during summer 2023.

Our major shareholder is a diversified family office with interests and an investment portfolio across various business sectors and innovative start-ups in Europe and United States.

The shareholders are not involved in the day-to-day business activities except of the corporate governance via the Board of Directors and shareholder meetings.

Innolith is raising capital continuously. The main goal is to receive additional financing for the completion of the R&D roadmap, implementation of the licensing business model that includes scaling up of the electrolyte and filling machine production.