LionVolt opens its doors and shows how battery innovation grows from prototype to production

LionVolt is developing next-generation battery cells using 3D-structured anodes and a thin-film approach to achieve higher energy density, improved safety, and consistent quality. Within NXTGEN Hightech Energy, the team is focused on bridging the gap between innovation and manufacturability.

For this article we spoke with Victoria Pereyra, Program Manager at LionVolt, about how the company is progressing step by step from lab to production, the current status of their pilot line and how they are laying the foundation for future scale-up through two carefully designed phases that together form the bridge from prototype to production.

A pilot line in two phases

Anyone stepping into LionVolt’s new production area won’t find a “shiny final line” but something far more valuable: a carefully staged trajectory in which every step is designed for scalable battery development. “We originally planned to go straight to a roll-to-roll pilot line,” Victoria explains as we walk past crates and support equipment. “But we deliberately added an intermediate step: phase 1. It allowed us to create prototypes earlier, learn about the product and refine the roll-to-roll specifications in detail.”

Two phases, one goal

In phase 1, LionVolt produces prototypes using smaller systems. It’s a downscaled setup: smaller, agile and ideal for refining materials choices and process conditions. Meanwhile, the roll-to-roll equipment for phase 2 is being built and prepared for installation.

“Phase 1 has taught us a lot about the product. Things you don’t automatically learn from innovation alone,” Victoria explains. “Innovation proves a concept, production proves manufacturability.”

The transition to phase 2, roll-to-roll, is about more than just capacity. Automated handling prevents tiny wrinkles and dents in the thin foils, which directly improves yield. The team expects to start installations early next year. The machines are currently being built. Once the design has been formally approved and the factory acceptance tests are completed, they will be shipped and installed on site.

During installation, the production area temporarily turns into a construction zone. As Victoria describes it: “We open the maintenance access, bring in the machines, complete all the hook-ups and utilities and then carry out a deep clean so the room can be requalified to the correct cleanroom class.”

Cleanroom, dry room and lithium: the details make the difference

In the cleanroom and dry room, everything revolves around eliminating variation. Lithium is extremely sensitive to moisture, which is why the metallization of the anode takes place in a controlled, moisture-free environment using gloveboxes (phase 1) and full dry-room handling (phase 2). Operators work according to strict protocols, including mandatory breaks to ensure hydration and alertness.

“We’re happy to show you a lot, but not everything,” Victoria smiles as she gestures toward the gloveboxes. “Certain process steps are business-critical and still confidential, we actively protect those until the intellectual property is formally secured.”

From lab result to production line

The prototypes from phase 1 are being tested by partners. With the upcoming roll-to-roll phase, the team will be able to produce with greater delicacy, consistency and at a larger scale. And LionVolt is thinking beyond hardware alone. To truly scale, not only the product but also the production process must become smart and predictable.

“We want to establish traceability, process insight and quality from day one,” Victoria explains. “But in a controlled way, not a mountain of data you can’t rely on.”

This work results not only in a new type of battery, but also in a new way of producing: data-driven, scalable and reusable. It’s exactly the kind of approach that demonstrates how NXTGEN Hightech Energy enables the Netherlands to turn innovation into industrial reality.

Learning, sharing and accelerating

LionVolt is not alone within NXTGEN Hightech. In NXTGEN Hightech Energy Project 1, a broad consortium is working on next-generation battery cell technologies (including 3D architectures and thin-film approaches). LionVolt’s phase-1 / phase-2 setup is a concrete example of “accelerating with intention”: learning earlier, reducing project risk and increasing the likelihood of first-time-right performance once the roll-to-roll line is running.

“The pilot line will tell us exactly which factors are critical in the product and in the design of the machines,” Victoria explains. “With those lessons learned, we can define the right scale, the right equipment and a future-proof digital backbone.”