OXIS Energy to Build World's First Li-S Battery Manufacturing Plant in Brazil

The world's first lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery cell manufacturing plant will be built in Brazil. OXIS Energy of the UK announced that, together with the Minas Gerais Development Company CODEMGE, it intends to build the world's first Li-S battery cell manufacturing plant. The two companies recently have leased a manufacturing facility from Mercedes Benz Brazil (MBB) in Juiz de Fora in southeast Brazil intending to start production by 2023 through an investment of $50 million.

Brazilian NORDIKA Pharmaceutical will undertake the design and engineering related to the mechanical layout of the new lithium-sulfur battery plant and has already begun the upgrading of the plant. The investment involved exceeds 50 million US dollars. The target is to build a fully digital plant commissioned and operating by 2023.

According to OXIS Energy's plan, the first phase of the lease of about 20,000 square meters of land to enable the production of 5 million Li-S cells per year with the option to extend and double the estate and cell capacity. The positive electrode and electrolyte of the Li-S battery will be supplied from the UK. The new plant in Kenfig Hill near Talbot Harbour, South Wales, UK, which is scheduled to be put into operation in 2021, can initially support the production of 500,000 batteries per year.

The energy density of OXIS Energy's lithium-sulfur batteries is very high, reaching more than 400Wh / kg. Target applications include aviation, defense, heavy electric vehicles, light commercial vehicles, and large ships. However, this type of battery has its weaknesses and has never been used on a large scale.

According to Huw Hampson-Jones, CEO of OXIS Energy, the new Li-S battery plant will help the Brazilian government phase out all internal combustion engine passenger cars within 25 years, equivalent to the production of more than 4 billion battery cells At present, Brazil is the third-largest passenger car market in the world, and there are currently 700,000 internal combustion engine passenger cars traveling.

OXIS and CODEMGE have cooperated with several Brazi's blue-chip companies to use Li-S battery for the electrification of regional aircraft, buses, and trucks and are collaborating with Brazilian aircraft manufacturers to build electric aircraft in the country. CODEMGE is also supporting OXIS Energy in its work with numerous US, European, and Japanese aircraft producers.

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