The investment, which was led by Team Global, with participation from Geschwister Oetker Beteiligungen and Enpal, is seen as helping to strengthen Europe’s position in the battery market, offering a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion technology.
The crystal sulfur battery developed by theion is described as a breakthrough in energy storage, as it offers three times higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries, is one third of the cost, making it an economically competitive alternative, and comes with one third of the carbon footprint, addressing sustainability challenges
The element sulfur contains significantly more energy per weight compared to today’s battery materials and will enable future batteries to be 3x lighter compared to current lithium-ion batteries.
A growing number of scientists and experts agree on the potential of sulfur regarding weight saving. However, the limiting factor has been cycle-life. To be economically viable, sulfur batteries need to reach over 1000 cycles.
theion’s proprietary technology is based on sulfur’s monoclinic gamma crystal structure. This structure together with patented processes lay the ground for increasing the cycle life of the battery.
Experts are forecasting worldwide demand for batteries across all industries will triple by 2030 to 8 TWh or EUR 500bn per year. Led by land mobility, the sector is projected to be worth EUR 340bn, with the stationary energy storage sector valued at EUR 170bn and air mobility at EUR 20bn.
“This financial support will be invaluable in the delivery of this transformational technology,” said Dr. Ulrich Ehmes, CEO of theion. “We are designing our crystal sulfur battery to position Europe as a leader in sustainable energy storage. There is still a way to go but our technology shall enable CO2-neutral electric flights, extended EV range, and efficient stationary energy storage.”
“I am in no doubt that crystal battery technology can revolutionise mobility and stationary energy storage, and theion is in the vanguard of this tech revolution,” said Lukasz Gadowski, CEO and founder of Team Global. “Not only can this cell chemistry slash costs for the automotive and mobility sectors, but it should also be a true enabler and catalyst for electrified aviation.”
Henning Rath, Co-founder and Managing Director of Enpal, said, “Europe needs technology champions in the battery industry to drive the future of electrification. theion has the potential to disrupt this area with world-beating R&D capabilities, delivering huge value for renewable energy companies like Enpal.”
The company’s patented crystal sulfur battery leverages sulfur, a widely available and cost-effective material, replacing nickel and cobalt, which are expensive and environmentally harmful to mine. This approach significantly reduces production costs and enhances supply chain resilience.
Key advantages include:
- 99% cheaper cathode raw material costs compared to lithium-ion components.
- Less energy-intensive manufacturing, improving overall sustainability.
- Improved safety, addressing critical issues in battery performance.
The first markets for theion’s crystal battery include:
Electric aviation and aerospace – Ideal for eVTOLs, fixed-wing aircraft, and satellites due to its lightweight and high energy density
Electric vehicles (EVs) – Enabling extended range and reduced production costs
Stationary energy storage – Increasing dramatically renewable energy integration with efficient and sustainable storage solutions.
