UK startup Integrals Power announced on Tuesday that it has begun shipping its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode materials to automakers and battery manufacturers for testing. These evaluations could lead to significant orders for electric vehicles (EVs) within six months.
CEO Behnam Hormozi told Reuters that the materials have been sent to three potential customers, with ten more lined up in Europe and the United States. He declined to disclose the names of these companies.
Achieving the testing phase with automakers is a major milestone for battery materials firms. LFP batteries were initially developed for the Chinese market as a cost-effective alternative to nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries for EVs, with Chinese manufacturers currently dominating global supply.
Behnam Hormozi stated that Integrals Power has developed LFP cathode materials that can match the cost per kilowatt-hour of Chinese producers due to improved performance. The company has also created its own LMFP cathode materials incorporating manganese, which he claims can boost energy density or EV range by 20% “at no extra cost.”
“When it comes to EVs it has become quite clear, it’s all about cost, cost, cost,” Hormozi said. “We’ve been bombarded by numerous major automakers… trying to get their hands on these materials to test them.”
Integrals Power operates a small pilot production line in the UK and aims to have its first industrial-scale line operational by 2027. The company has raised £5 million ($6.41 million) from investors and UK government grants to date.
Hormozi noted that some potential customers have expressed interest in producing the cathode materials themselves under license.
Source: Reuters
