Find the right cell for every application: A methodical approach based on cost-parity calculation

The increasing performance of lithium-ion batteries and the continuous emergence of new manufacturers, formats, and cell chemistries enable the electrification of more applications. However, this heterogeneity and complexity make it difficult to anticipate all viable battery cells for specific applications. This paper presents a high-level techno-economic approach to identifying suitable battery cells for different applications. The methodology is based on an extensive cell database containing more than 350 real-world cells, the techno-economic characterization of emerging battery-relevant applications, and a Python-based model. This allows matching the application requirements to each battery cell performance to determine cell-specific cost-parity prices. We showcase the approach for passenger cars, forklifts, and passenger trains. Our results highlight large differences among applications in technical requirements and needed cost-parity prices, emphasizing the importance of tailored techno-economic cell selection.