CARBAT is a FET Open research and innovation action in the Horizon 2020 programme, funded over the H2020-FETOPEN-2016-2017 call.

We propose calcium based rechargeable batteries to be a FET helping to solve some of the Grand Challenges our modern society is facing: pollution, oil-dependency, and climate change. Today transportation contributes to >25% of the total CO₂ emissions globally and while electrification of the sector is on-going still <1% of cars run on batteries, mainly due to issues of cost and driving ranges feasible (energy density limited). 

Batteries based on Ca have promise of leap-frog increase in energy densities and are especially attractive as Ca is the 5th most abundant element on Earth’s crust. The main objective of CARBAT builds on this breakthrough and is to achieve proof-of-concept for a Ca anode rechargeable battery with > 650 Wh/kg and > 1400 Wh/l.

CARBAT will accomplish this by combining scientific efforts and excellence in computational screening, solid-state and coordination chemistry, materials science, electrochemistry, and battery engineering, and apply this to:

1. develop cathode active materials operating at 4 V and with capacities of 200-300 mAh/g

2. optimize electrolyte formulations for fast Ca²⁺ transport (>1 mS/cm)

3. assembly of 100 mAh full cell demonstrators integrating such materials which will be validated and benchmarked vs. the state-of-the-art Li-ion technology using performance and sustainability indicators.

CARBAT involves 4 European research institutions from 4 different European countries.