The global lithium battery market is experiencing an unprecedented phase of expansion. In fact, projections indicate a growth of around 50% in lithium battery production starting this year.
In this context, the Spanish company NCPower is leading the energy transformation and revolutionising the global lithium battery market. Not for nothing, it was founded just four years ago, in 2019, the company already produces 1,200 lithium batteries per year for electric vehicles and expects a turnover of more than 10 million euros by 2024.
We spoke to the CEO and founder, Mario Nicolas.
Mario Nicolás, CEO and founder of NCPower
NCPower, lithium battery experts
- How did the idea of starting NCPower come about?
It all started with an internship at the electric vehicle company in Murcia. ComarthI worked my way up through the ranks to the position of production manager.
Following the demise of this company, I joined DFSK where I continued my research career in research into lithium that will improve performance, charging and discharging times, and the safety of the batteries installed in electric vehicles. All this allowed me to lead a comprehensive project for the electrification of commercial vehicles.
That knowledge and experience, coupled with a passion for electrification, allowed me to embark on my own adventure in 2019. After more than 10 years of experience in the electrification of electric vehicles, a deep knowledge of the lithium battery sector and the different existing national and international markets, NCPower was born.
Our purpose is to offer innovative and competitive solutions within the lithium battery industry. Our main objective is to understand the needs of our customers and develop energy solutions based on state-of-the-art lithium batteries adapted to each customer in a personalised way.
It was always clear to us that we wanted to be a different company, one that would offer something more than what was already on the market.
What is NCPower
- What kind of customers are NCPower's systems aimed at?
We are targeting a B2B industrial customer. Our target audience is manufacturers of electric vehicles. Specifically low-intensity light commercial vehicles for the transport of goods (pick-up trucks, vans, etc.) and utility vehicles designed to move over all types of terrain.
Our technology is present on three continents and in more than 12 countries around the world, such as Portugal, The Netherlands, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway y Finland.
- And what technological innovations do these lithium batteries incorporate?
NCPower has developed a proprietary technology for the management of lithium batteries: the NCPower System. A battery management system (BMS) that offers a number of advantages in battery performance, productivity and energy savings, thereby extending the life of the batteries while allowing for greater sustainability and energy/economic savings.
On the other hand, NCPower has its own NCPower Data Center. The purpose of the data centre is to collect and store detailed information on the use and performance of the lithium batteries, while monitoring the health status of the batteries accurately at any time.
Thanks to our monitoring technology, we can continuously track each battery to make sure it is working properly. In addition, BMS technology allows us to anticipate potential risks, damage, increased power requirements and even future optimisation of battery performance.
The lithium battery revolution
- The global market for lithium batteries is experiencing an unprecedented phase of expansion. Why is this happening, will it pass or will it continue over time?
If there is one market on the rise, it is lithium batteries. Its growth is staggering. As the energy transition accelerates, countries and consumers alike are increasingly striving to decarbonise and work towards a low-carbon economy. This means a shift away from fossil fuels towards electrification.
As the inclination for battery technologies in vehicles (passenger and freight) and stationary storage grows significantly, the boom in lithium batteries is greater. This demand projection is in line with a global warming scenario and changes in energy systems.
Electric vehicles will be the most significant contributor to future battery growth, accounting for around 55% of total demand by the end of the decade.
Stationary storage will be the next largest contributor, with a projected demand of over 2.5 TWh in 2030, 29% of the total market.
Lithium batteries will dominate the market this decade. According to the latest data published by the International Energy Agency, the percentage of lithium batteries continues to grow compared to traditional lead batteries, which is already a success in terms of sustainability, environmental protection, etc.
The many benefits of lithium batteries over traditional batteries are a clear reason to stay with lithium for a long time: lithium batteries require no maintenance, allow fast charging, are lighter, have a much higher energy yield in extreme temperatures, do not emit gases and have a service life five times longer than lead-acid batteries.
Lithium batteries, key to the circular economy
The main advantages of safety, durability and capacities have made them the energy source par excellence for electrifying large fleets of vehicles, industrial machinery and as the main source of energy storage.
Batteries are a key part of the transition to the circular economy. With more and more appliances and even renewable energy generation relying on them to operate, it is imperative to develop batteries that are more sustainable, high-performing and safe throughout their life cycle.
They must also be reusable, remanufactured or recycled. In order to innovate in this respect, the European Commission has launched action packages aimed at modernising EU legislation on batteries.
The need to move away from fossil fuels is a reality we all understand. Electric mobility is an answer to the climate crisis and, despite the challenges ahead, progress is promising.
Main challenges
- What are the main challenges in the development and manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles?
The batteries of the electric vehicles must be optimised in terms of safety, durability and performance. The trend and development of the battery market goes hand in hand with the technology used in manufacturing.
At NCPower, as manufacturers of lithium batteries, we take on the challenges and commitments of continuing to optimise our batteries to meet the main requirements and demands of our customers: greater safety, reduced weight, improved performance, longer-lasting batteries with faster charging times, and improvements in the manufacturing process as the main component for improving the useful life and sustainability of the batteries.
Sustainable mobility
- How do you see the future of sustainable mobility: will we reach the dates stipulated by Europe or is it not possible?
We are witnessing a disruptive transformation in the field of mobility worldwide. On the one hand, we have the massive arrival of new technologies in all aspects of mobility, the need to continue on the path of decarbonisation of mobility and, finally, a concentration of population in urban and metropolitan areas with major implications for mobility.
In this sense, public administrations should encourage and promote the most sustainable and healthy means and modes of mobility in urban and metropolitan environments, giving priority to active mobility that includes measures to facilitate personal mobility in situations of functional diversity, collective public transport and high-occupancy mobility schemes.
To achieve this, plans such as that of the European Union, which aims to install at least one million charging points for this type of vehicle by 2030, are essential.
In terms of automotive development, there is a unique opportunity for sustainable mobility. Currently, there is a wealth of funds (Next Generation, Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, the Electric and Connected Vehicle Perte, among others) that are an excellent opportunity to advance and accelerate the sustainable transformation of the sector.
It is important to reinforce public and private investment to reorient the productive model, driving the green transition, decarbonisation, energy efficiency, deployment of renewable energy, electrification of the economy, development of energy storage, circular economy, nature-based solutions and enhancing the resilience of all economic sectors.
The objective is to accelerate the transformation of the sector and it will not be easy to meet the deadlines and agendas set by Europe. The transport sector must be decarbonised in record time and move towards more sustainable cities with an efficient, low-carbon sustainability model.
The future of NCPower
- What are the forecasts for the coming year?
We are in the process of patenting our own battery management system (BMS), as well as the NCPower System itself.
We are satisfied that we have been able to overcome the limits of traditional electrification. We are already looking ahead to 2024 and the challenges ahead:
- To become a benchmark in the Spanish sector, positioning ourselves as one of the main suppliers of complete lithium battery solutions.
- The expansion of our production capacity with new facilities.
- Expand our staff of specialist professionals in the different business areas and, especially, in the R&D&I departments. This will allow us to continue increasing our value proposition and our competitive advantage.
- Continue to work on specialising in light commercial vehicles and utility vehicles. And diversification of our solutions to supply the various industrial energy storage markets.
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