UK-based battery materials firm Integrals Power has secured a major industrial mandate.

 

This, being selected to supply its patented lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode active material to the EU-backed OLiMPUS project — a €9 million Horizon Europe initiative aimed at scaling next-generation battery technology in Europe.

 

The project will run through 2030 and targets the development and industrialisation of cost-effective, safer and more sustainable LMFP (8:2) battery cells built entirely on a European supply chain. If successful, partners expect to begin mass production by 2032, with applications spanning electric vehicles and maritime transport.

 

Integrals Power will deliver more than 150 kg of its LMFP material while also supporting scale-up, manufacturing industrialisation, and cell performance validation. The selection is being seen as a significant validation of its technology at an industrial level.

 

Coordinated by Norwegian research organisation SINTEF, the consortium brings together 16 partners across the battery value chain, including Volvo Trucks, Magna Steyr, Verkor, Vianode, and Corvus Energy. Prototype automotive-grade cells will be produced on SINTEF pilot lines and at Verkor’s gigafactory facilities, in pouch and prismatic formats ranging from 10–80Ah.

 

Performance targets are ambitious, with energy density expected to reach up to 220 Wh/kg. The project also places strong emphasis on sustainability, including the use of water-based electrode processing instead of toxic and highly flammable NMP solvents, alongside lower-energy semi-dry coating techniques. 

 

Compared with NMC811 chemistry, the project forecasts lifecycle emissions reductions of around 1.8 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent by 2050.

 

Integrals Power Founder and CEO Behnam Hormozi said: “Our participation in OLiMPUS is the clearest demonstration yet that Integrals Power's patented LMFP technology is a key enabler for establishing sovereign battery capability in the UK and Europe. 

 

"Third-party testing has already proven its high energy density, cycle life, and cold weather performance, and this project represents the next milestone in its development as we optimise the materials and processes for scale-up.

 

“A successful transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources can only be achieved with a robust, transparent, sustainable, and cost-effective battery supply chain, and that requires alternatives to cell chemistries and manufacturing reliant on critical minerals and Chinese technology. The OLiMPUS project is laying the foundations for this, and we are extremely proud to be a part of it.”

 

The LMFP chemistry used in the project contains a high 80% manganese content, which developers say can deliver up to 20% higher energy density than conventional LFP while maintaining its safety, cost, and long lifecycle advantages. The design also avoids expensive nickel and cobalt, positioning it as a lower-cost alternative to NMC chemistries.

 

OLiMPUS is targeting cell costs of €56–65/kWh and pack-level costs of €67–75/kWh, which the consortium says is competitive against current LFP and NMC production benchmarks dominated by China.

 

Beyond electric vehicles, the technology is also being aimed at maritime applications — a sector under growing pressure to decarbonise. Battery-electric propulsion is increasingly seen as viable for short-range shipping, where LMFP’s safety and durability advantages could be critical.