In a move that could revolutionize the electric vehicle (EV) industry, two Imperial College London spinouts, About:Energy and Monolith, have joined forces to accelerate the development of cutting-edge battery technology. Their partnership promises to significantly reduce the time and costs associated with bringing new EV models to market, potentially saving car manufacturers up to 18 months of development time.
At the heart of this innovative collaboration lies the development of pre-trained AI models capable of predicting how battery pack designs will perform over time. By leveraging battery test data from About:Energy’s labs and Monolith’s advanced AI tools, the companies aim to provide car manufacturers with a comprehensive understanding of battery degradation and longevity.
Traditionally, car companies have relied on costly and time-consuming in-house processes, aging thousands of batteries over a year or more to assess their performance. The new solution under development eliminates the need for this trial-and-error approach, allowing manufacturers to outsource complex degradation test plans and streamline the validation process.
Spinouts combine Expertise and Innovation
Dr. Richard Ahlfeld, CEO and founder of Monolith, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “Our collaboration with About: Energy allows us to build more accurate models predicting battery degradation and thermal runaway, using the most robust and reliable battery test data available to engineers.” He highlighted the potential benefits for automotive OEMs, battery manufacturers, and EV startups, promising to help optimize battery validation test plans and accelerate the availability of better EVs.
Dr. Gavin White, CEO and Co-Founder of About:Energy, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the company’s commitment to driving innovation and adding significant value to the industry. “We are always seeking innovative collaborations that help tackle the industry’s toughest challenges. Working with Monolith gives industry the access to the best machine-learning talent and highest quality lab data in an easy-to-use software package,” he said.
Fostering an innovation ecosystem
The partnership between About:Energy and Monolith exemplifies Imperial College London’s thriving innovation ecosystem, which nurtures pioneering businesses and fosters collaborations that drive technological advancements and create job opportunities.
Monolith, founded in 2016 based on Imperial research, has secured £8.5 million in Series A funding and counts companies such as Siemens and BMW as customers. About:Energy, a battery technology spinout from Imperial, the University of Birmingham, and the Faraday Institution, was founded in 2022 and has already scaled to 14 employees, launching its platform The Voltt last year.
Dr. Simon Hepworth, Director of Enterprise at Imperial, commended the collaboration, stating, “Collaborations like this are what university innovation is all about: two great pioneering businesses working together to combine their tech, creating jobs and driving us to a greener, low-carbon future. It makes all the careful crafting of the innovation ecosystem worthwhile, from aligning incentives through policies, to empowering founders through programmes and networks. We are re-engineering the future through our deep battery technology and advanced manufacturing expertise.”
A Sustainable Future
The partnership between About:Energy and Monolith represents a significant step forward in the quest for a more sustainable transportation industry. By streamlining the development of advanced battery technology and accelerating the availability of better EVs, the collaboration not only contributes to a greener, low-carbon future but also showcases the power of university-driven innovation ecosystems.
As the demand for electric vehicles continues to surge, collaborations like this one underscore the importance of fostering cross-disciplinary partnerships and leveraging cutting-edge technologies to overcome industry challenges. With the combined expertise of these two pioneering companies, the future of electric mobility looks brighter than ever.
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