The HELIOS project aims to evaluate the performance of four lithium-ion battery chemistries (NCA, LMO blend, LFP, and NMC) for electric vehicles through cycling and safety tests of large format cells manufactured by SAFT. The project involves 18 partners from 6 EU member states and has a budget of €4.17 million. After initial delays in cell production, cycling and safety testing of the cells is ongoing to understand aging mechanisms and inform standards development.

1. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
PROPRIETE RENAULT
High Energy Lithium-Ion Storage Solutions
Frédérique DEL CORSO
Project coordinator - RENAULT SAS
ac

2. Project presentation
Project full title: High Energy Lithium-Ion Storage Solutions
Coordinator: Frédérique DELCORSO (Renault)
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Partners:
Starting Date: Nov 2009
Ending Date: oct 2012 amendment to oct 2013
Budget Total/Funding: 4,17 MEUR / 2,77 MEUR
Home page : http://www.helios-eu.org/

3. CRF
Adam Opel AG
Ford
Volvo
Renault
EDF
SAFT
Umicore
AIT
ZSW
CNRS - LRCS
INERIS
CEA
2 RWTH-ISEA IME
HELIOS consortium : 18 partners from 6 member states
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
UU
Universities
ENEA
6
Research
Institutes
JCHaR
4 Industries
PCA
6 OEM

4. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Motivation
Understand the causes of ageing mechanisms (cycling and
post-mortem analysis) among 4 chemistries :
NCA (LiNiCoAl)/ C-Graphite (SAFT –reference)
LFP (LiFePO4) / C-Graphite
LMO blend (LiMn2O4-NCA) / C-Graphite
NMC (LiNiMnCo) / C-Graphite
for EV (electric vehicle),
HEV (Hybrid EV)
PHEV (Plug-in EV) applications.
NCA : Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium
NMC : Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt
LMO : Lithium Manganese spinel
LFP : Lithium Iron Phosphate

5. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Objectives
Evaluate the performances of 4 positive electrode (NCA,
LMO blend, LFP NMC/ Graphite anode)
Manufacturing 280 large cell formats (~40 Ah) – 70 per
technology
Propose safety life test procedures for High Energy
battery cells used in European context
Comparative assessment of Performance (12- 15 months
cycling tests) life, cost, recycling and safety characteristics

6. WORK PACKAGE structure
WWPP11 :: MMaannaaggeemmeenntt // CCoooorrddiinnaattiioonn ((RREENNAAUULLTT))
WP5 : Electrical Characterisation of
HE cells (cycling, calendar) (EDF)
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
WP8 : Recycling Feasibility Study (RWTH-IME)
WP7 : Economical Assessment (PSA)
WP 6 : Safety tests
(INERIS)
WP 2 : Ageing
review,
charactrerisation
and interpretation
of results (LRCS)
WP 3 :
Specifications and
testing procedures
(OPEL)
WP 4 :
Manufacturing of
High Energy Cell
(SAFT)
START

7. Main results : WP2
(Ageing analysis, post mortem analysis)
2.1Bibliographic review on ageing mechanisms
Graphites
Positive Electrodes
Electrolyte ageing
interfaces, characterization techniques
2.2 Post-mortem analysis : initial , intermediate (6 months)
final characterization of electrode materials (SEM,
Electrochemical measurement, XRD, DSC, Mass spectrometry,
XPS )
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012

8. Main results : WP3
(Cell specification and test procedures )
3.1 - Target specification for a High Energy cell suited for EV, PHEV
and/or HEV-APU applications
3.2 - Performance, ageing and cycling test procedure
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
inputs for WP5
3.3 -safety test procedures (mechanical, electrical and thermal abuse
conditions) inputs for WP6
3.4 : coordination with ISO, VDA USABC.
activities achieved end of october 2012

9. Main results : WP4
(High energy cell manufacture )
4.1 : Material selection for NMC, LFP, LMO
4.2 : Build of small sample cells (4/5 A), 12 cells per
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
technology
4.3: up-scale study
4.4 : Manufacture and delivery of large cells (~40 Ah) to
test institutes : 70 cells per technology
Delivery delayed : 10-12 months
All the activities have been performed WP4 « closed »

10. Main results : WP5 (Electrical performance testing)
Cycling tests (15 months):
EV type profile : SOC 100% - 20% Imax ~1.25C (50A) @30 – 45°C
PHEV type profile : SOC 95-25% Imax ~ 5C (200A) @ 30- 45°C
Calendar tests (12-15 months) : storage at 45 – 60°C , 100%SOC
Different Characterisation tests :
Complete Characterisation every 6 months,
Quick Characterisation : every 6 weeks
Already 6- 14 months of tests performed
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Helios Resumé EV Cycling Profile B 30°C 80%DOD
60
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200
100% Cycles nom
(accumulated discharge capacity of 80%DOD cycles divided by nominal capacity)
SOHact in %
NCA 12 NCA 09 NCA 05 NCA 01 LMO 03 LMO 04 LMO 05 LMO 08
NMC 11 NMC 06 NMC 03 NMC 09 LFP 07 LFP 09 LFP 08 LFP 10
LMO
NMC
LFP
NCA cycle week 44
LFP

11. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Main results : WP6
(Safety and abuse testing )
6.1 bibliographical study of thermal ‘runaway’ mechanisms in
lithium battery systems,
6.2 : Definition of safety test recommendations, based on WP3
specifications
6.3 Thermal stability tests on 0.5 Ah cells
6.4 : Safety tests on 40 Ah cells (running)
o Controlled crush (Radial and axial )
o Penetration (nail)
o Thermal stability (ARC)
o Simulated Fuel Fire (Beginning of Life)
o Elevated temperature Storage (2 months) @ SoC = 20, 50%
o Rapid charge / discharge
o Thermal Shock Cycling (from -40°C / + 75 ° C)
o Overcharge
o Short circuit
o Over discharge
Crush test(radial)

12. Main results : WP7 (Economical assessment)
7.1 : Cost assessment for Active materials
7.2 : Cost assessment for cells
7.3 : extrapolation to the pack level cost
According 3 levels of annual manufacturing volumes :
- Low quantity : cells quantity equivalent to 50 000 veh / year (41 Ah),
- Mid quantity : cells quantity equivalent to 100 000 / year (41 Ah),
- High quantity : cells quantity equivalent to 200 000 / year (41 Ah).
activities achieved end of october 2012
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012

13. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Main results : WP8
(Recycling assessment )
8.1 : Study of the potentially most appropriate processes, involving
a range of techniques from the least costly but yielding the lowest
quantity of recycled material up to the most expensive process (cell
de-activation + mechanical separation+ agglomeration before pyro-metallurgical
or hydro-metallurgical treatment), yielding the most
usable material.
8.2 at cell level
8.3 extrapolation to pack level+ Life Cycle Analysis
activities achieved end of october 2012.

14. Delivery of
small cells
(0.5 Ah)
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Milestone plan
Kick-off
AMENDMENT
* Delay of 9 -12 months to deliver cells according the technologies (selection of
materials longer than expected, delay of raw materials supply from Japan, change
of production site for LFP…)
* Problem of process for LMO (only 50 cells available) and NMC (2 batches were
necessary)
Nov
2009
Dec
2010
Dec
2011
June
2011
Oct
2012
Cycling,calendar safety tests
Mid-term
report
Delivery of 4*70 cells (40Ah)
Final
Oct
2013
assessments
on
performance,
recyclability,
cost, safety
ageing
mechanisms
Safety
results
post-mortem
interm.
intermedi
ate report
M meeting
M M M M M
M
M

15. F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
Overall progress
M18 mid term report submitted on time (june 2011)
18 deliverables submitted, 4 are late (draft version), 5 are
postponed (due to late delivery of cells)
Delivery of 70 (40 Ah) cells per technology by SAFT
Start of cycling and calendar tests (6-14 months already
performed)
Abuse tests of small large cells achieved.

16. Next steps, future activities
End of cycling tests
Economical assessment
Recycling study (at cell, pack level)
Interpretation of the ageing results (post-mortem analysis)
Dissemination
2nd intermediate report : end october 2013
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012

17. Exploitation potential
HELIOS results would influence the choice and the
integration of the best technologies on reliable,
safe, cost and recyclability points of view, in
vehicles (VE, PHEV) or trucks (HEV-APU) that will
contribute to reduce the CO2 emissions.
Specification of Common European procedures
(Cycling safety) for High Energy Li-ion batteries
inputs in European standards.
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012

18. Cooperation within the cluster
Testing procedures,
Cost assessment
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012
EUROLIION
recycling

19. Thanks for your attention
For additional information,
http://www.helios-eu.org
frederique.delcorso@renault.com
+33 1 768 57 598
F DELCORSO – RENAULT SAS 3d European Green Cars Initiative Projects PROPRIETE RENAULT
Clustering Event – 12th July 2012