TotalEnergies subsidiary Saft manufactures solid-state batteries in Bordeaux
Battery manufacturer Saft, part of the TotalEnergies group, is inaugurating new production lines for solid-state batteries at its Bordeaux facility. The batteries are primarily intended for use in aerospace applications. Saft does not mention any potential use in road vehicles.
Image: Saft
Saft describes itself as the first French manufacturer to produce self-developed solid-state batteries that utilise both sulphide and polymer electrolytes at room temperature. The Total subsidiary cites aerospace as a key application area, where “gains in safety, performance and energy density are particularly valuable,” according to an accompanying statement. In aviation, Saft has already made a strong initial impact with the recent delivery of semi-solid-state cells in collaboration with partner Safran.
According to Saft, the new production lines in Bordeaux – a European aerospace hub – are designed to accommodate various technologies, specifically both polymer-based semi-solid-state batteries and sulphide-based solid-state batteries. The facilities operate explicitly at room temperature. However, Saft remains vague about the batteries themselves, stating only that they will be particularly safe and compact. Their energy density is said to be up to 50 per cent higher than that of conventional lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, the manufacturing process uses a dry electrode method, which is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions in production by up to 40 per cent.
Saft CEO Cédric Duclos commented: “Solid-state batteries are among the most promising innovations for meeting tomorrow’s electrification needs. These new production lines mark an important milestone for Saft, as we turn several years of research into real industrial capacity, a statement of our ambition to establish France and Europe as leading players in this strategic technology.”
France also has another producer of already commercialised solid-state batteries in Blue Solutions, part of the Bolloré conglomerate. In this case, the technology is based on lithium-metal-polymer (LMP). However, Blue Solutions is currently being restructured after issues arose with the batteries in serial applications, particularly in buses.
Saft is best known to us as a shareholder in the joint venture Automotive Cells Company (ACC). The manufacturer is owned by Saft, Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz and produces nickel-based cells and modules in France, which currently primarily benefit Stellantis. The Douvrin site was originally supposed to be supplemented by two additional plants in Germany and Italy. However, the joint venture is now focusing solely on the ramp-up phase at its only cell factory in France. The other two major projects have been scrapped.
Beyond this, Saft has repeatedly stood out for its research efforts. For example, together with Stellantis and other partners, the Total subsidiary is working on a battery with integrated inverter and charging functions. In the European research project SUBLIME, Saft also focused on sulphide-based solid-state batteries in collaboration with other players starting in 2023. In the TALISSMAN project, Saft is working with partners to develop lithium-sulphur batteries for electric vehicles.