Ilika CEO on Goliath batteries passing battlefield safety tests, defence sector opportunity

Hello, you're watching ProActive. I'm joined by Graham Perdi, the CEO of Ilika.

Graham, very good to speak with you. You've had strong feedback from a UK defence agency

following safety tests of your good life, battery, under battlefield conditions. Take us to

how they tested. Yeah, morning, Steven. Great to be back. Yeah, actually, the tests were

pretty straightforward. The batteries were put onto a firing range and they were penetrated

by various types of ammunition and the responses of the batteries were measured,

and this is what's given us the feedback. So, I put simply what makes those batteries safer

than traditional lithium-ion batteries? Yeah, this is one of the big advantages, really,

of solid-state batteries, is that if they are put together in the way that we build agoliath

batteries, they are intrinsically safer because they don't have a flammable liquid electrolyte

component. And if you take that out and you replace it with a more inert electrolyte,

then it can survive these types of penetrations more effectively.

So, apart from electric vehicles and other applications, you're also targeting defence and drones.

How significant is that opportunity, Graham? I have to confess that when we started developing

the agoliath technology, it was principally for EVs and also for consumer appliances,

where we picked up some interest as we moved through the development program.

To be frank, the defence opportunity is a more recent opportunity that has become clear

in the face of heightened global tensions and conflicts in various theatres around the world.

And there is a need for this country as well as other NATO partners to reinforce

their defence technology to update it and to invest at a higher level than has been seen in

recent years. And because effectively the defence sector has become increasingly electrified,

both in terms of the equipment that soldiers carry around with them. And also because of the

increased use of communication devices and intelligence gathering devices and unmanned vehicles,

suddenly you're seeing a commensurate increase in the demand for batteries, particularly

safe batteries like these that can be deployed and keep actually everybody in the environment

much safer than they would be if you had a normal lithium ion battery.

This sounds like a significant milestone for the company, Graham. What needs to happen next

to turn it into real commercial deals?

Well, it's great that we're seeing a validation by this UK defence agency which has massive

influence with the ultimate customer, the Ministry of Defence. And of course we're working with

other companies in the supply chain to turn this interest into a commercial reality

and and generate a return for the investment that we've put into this technology.

Well, Graham, I hope you'll keep us updated with developments in that field.

Thank you very much for your time today. Thanks Stephen, let's speak soon.

Graham, pretty the CEO of ILECA.