Press release

• Mass-produced Li-Tec battery cells open up new opportunities for electric vehicles of the future
• In the international race for the best battery solution, Li-Tec counts on its unique CERIO® ceramic storage technology 
• Li-Tec pools essential battery expertise in strategic partnership of Evonik Industries and Daimler – Battery cells to be sold to third parties as well

Li-Tec Battery GmbH, a subsidiary of Evonik Industries AG, is taking large strides in the race for the best automotive battery solution of the future. The company from the Saxonian town of Kamenz, Germany, is the first European manufacturer of mass-produced lithium-ion batteries with ceramic storage technology for automotive applications. The Kamenz plant will begin its serial production of several million cells in 2011. Li-Tec plans to increase its production capacity for battery cells to 300,000 annual units by the end of this year. This step brings the mass production of safe and environmentally friendly electric vehicles in Europe a lot closer to becoming a reality.

The production-ready high-tech battery cell by Li-Tec is superior to other products in several essential aspects. The globally unique ceramic storage technology of Li-Tec cells holds a leading position. The company has now pooled the comprehensively patented technology in its CERIO® brand, which is based on a special combination of ceramic materials and high-molecule ion conductors. CERIO® battery cells by Li-Tec set the highest standards for cycle stability, performance output, and safety. Thanks to the highly compact design of the battery cells, they also offer high energy density at a low weight.

The ceramic high-performance separator SEPARION® forms the core of the CERIO® technology. This specially designed separator membrane is extremely thin and highly heat-resistant. Inside the battery, the innovative separator reliably separates the anode and cathode to prevent dangerous interior short-circuits. Together with additional matching components, SEPARION® creates batteries with unprecedented performance levels.

Evonik Industries AG and Daimler have shared their expertise in the area of lithium-ion batteries in Li-Tec since December 2008. The trend-setting partnership combines the chemical knowledge of Evonik with the automotive background of Daimler. In the future, Li-Tec will supply battery cells not just to Mercedes-Benz, but to other manufacturers as well. “We are pleased about the high interest in our technology. Our cooperation with Daimler explicitly calls for the sale of cells and battery systems to third parties, since it is not a mutually exclusive alliance," explains Dr. Andreas Gutsch, Executive Director of Li-Tec Battery GmbH. “The strategic partnership offers a unique opportunity to pool essential competencies in the area of battery production and to take a significant step forward in German battery development. Our combined expertise in the battery and automotive industry allows us to quickly and competently respond to future challenges.”

The strategic alliance of the two corporations in the area of electric drives recently received an award, when Evonik and Daimler were jointly nominated for the “ÖkoGlobe,” the first international environmental award for the automotive industry and its suppliers, for their cooperation in the research, development, and production of lithium-ion batteries. The 10-month-old partnership was ranked first in the evaluation of innovative energy sources.