Ann Arbor Times

The University of Michigan has expanded its Battery Lab with a new off-campus facility, aiming to support research and development in next-generation battery technology for electric vehicles and other applications. The new facility, called Battery Lab 2.0, adds 4,000 square feet of laboratory and production space on Ellsworth Road in Ann Arbor.

The expansion is open to both academic and industry researchers. It features an automatic laser welder for assembling battery modules and packs, as well as a lithium-ion battery production line with a capacity of three megawatt-hours. This production line is believed to be the highest-capacity pilot-scale line at any university.

“In the decade since the original U-M Battery Lab opened—the first of its kind in the country and now the only one in the heart of the auto industry—it’s been a critical enabler. It’s helped to catalyze many of the battery advancements now powering today’s EVs,” said Alan Taub, director of the U-M Electric Vehicle Center and professor of materials science and engineering and mechanical engineering.

“But demand has consistently outpaced capacity, which is why we’ve expanded—giving researchers even more room to build the future.”

The lab offers capabilities for prototyping, testing, and manufacturing various types of rechargeable batteries—including lithium-ion and solid-state—in both pouch and cylindrical formats. These formats are used in grid storage, personal electronics, backup generators, drones, defense technologies, and electric vehicles.

Facilities like U-M’s Battery Lab allow companies without their own labs or manufacturing spaces to develop prototypes and test products. Users have included large firms such as Ford, Mercedes-Benz, PPG Industries, as well as startups like Nanoramic.

“We bridge the ‘valley of death’—the period between a promising concept or early-stage technology and commercial production. We provide the infrastructure, equipment and expertise to prove you have a product,” said Greg Less, battery lab director.

“We’ve supported major automakers, and we also give smaller operations a seat at the table. The more new ideas that see the light of day, the faster technology advances. And what we offer them is as close to industrial prototyping as you can get.”

Nanoramic credited the lab with being “pivotal in advancing their R&D efforts.” In late 2024, Nanoramic secured $44 million in financing co-led by GM Ventures with participation from Samsung Ventures.

The original Battery Lab opened on North Campus in 2014 with $9 million invested into its facilities. Since then it has been fully booked by researchers worldwide due to its accessibility near automotive industry centers.

“Being near the automotive industry is a symbiotic benefit,” Less said. “They don’t have to increase their internal capability because they can take advantage of what we have. And when they come to campus, we learn from them.”

Battery Lab 2.0 will serve as an interim solution while design and construction continue on a planned $60 million on-campus battery lab addition at the U-M Transportation Research Institute building. Funding for this expansion comes from Michigan’s $130 million contract that established the Electric Vehicle Center in 2023.

Located near Ann Arbor’s southern border off campus, Battery Lab 2.0 allows easier access for industrial users. Its equipment was supplied by Energy Tech Solution.