Volklec

What Volklec does

Volklec is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of 21700-format lithium-ion battery cells, headquartered at MIRA Technology Park in Nuneaton and producing at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry. The company sells two cell variants — the Energy Cell (Series E, 5.00 Ah, 247 Wh/kg, 3C continuous discharge, 800+ cycles to 80% SOH) and the Power Cell (Series P, 5.00 Ah, 12C/60A continuous discharge, 5 mΩ ACIR, >4,000 W/kg power density) — manufactured under exclusive licence from an established Asian cell manufacturer active since 2009, with both variants independently tested by About:Energy and Cognition Energy and certified to UN 38.3, IEC 62619 (cited as IEC 62133 in some records), REACH, RoHS, CE, and ISO 9001. Volklec positions these cells as the only currently UK-manufactured 21700 lithium-ion product, targeting defence, automotive, aerospace (UAVs/eVTOL), marine, and industrial-mobility applications where Rules of Origin, Battery Passport, EPR, and sovereign-supply compliance are procurement-relevant.

The company's go-to-market is B2B enterprise sales through direct engagement with system integrators and battery pack manufacturers rather than end customers, supplemented by consortium-based programme distribution (AMBERS with Ricardo and Hyperbat for modular packs; D-SEA with Walker Subsea for underwater ROVs). Pricing is quote-based on volume and programme requirements under multi-year contracts; revenue mechanics combine hardware sales of cells with embedded application engineering and compliance/qualification services. Volklec is backed by Frontive Group and founder Imran Khatri (with CCO Johan Andersson) and has secured non-dilutive government funding through the £4bn DRIVE35 programme and £452m Battery Innovation Programme to scale manufacturing from an initial 1GWh capability to a planned 10GWh gigafactory — a step-up reported by the Financial Times as part of a broader £1bn ambition involving investors previously associated with Britishvolt.

Name

Volklec

Legal name

Volklec Ltd

Website

https://volklec.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Volklec is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of 21700 lithium-ion battery cells (Energy and Power series) produced at UKBIC in Coventry under an exclusive licence, selling B2B to defence, automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial system integrators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lithium-Ion Battery Cells

NAICS

Battery Manufacturing (33591), Battery Manufacturing (335910)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Battery Cells (Li-ion, LFP, Sodium-ion, Lead-acid, NiMH) (IMAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Battery Modules & Packs (Industrial/Commercial pack assembly) (IMAGAHAB), Battery Cell Manufacturing (EV) (IMACACAB)

Keywords

• Lithium-ion battery cells
• Sovereign battery supply
• 21700 cylindrical cells
• UK battery manufacturing
• Defence battery cells

Headquarters

HQ city

Coventry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Battery Cell Sales: Sale of 21700 lithium-ion battery cells (Energy Cell Series E and Power Cell Series P) to system integrators, battery pack manufacturers, and direct customers in defence, automotive, aerospace, and marine sectors. Revenue generated from cell-level component supply with full documentation, batch traceability, and compliance support.
2. Application Engineering Support: Technical support services including cell selection guidance, pack architecture consultation, thermal and electrical integration support, and navigation of qualification requirements for specific applications. Provided as part of partnership engagement with integrators.
3. Compliance & Qualification Services: Support services for safety certification, regulatory compliance (Battery Passport, Rules of Origin, EPR), and qualification documentation that remove barriers to market entry for integrators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Volklec manufactures UK-origin 21700 lithium-ion battery cells in two variants — the Energy Cell (Series E) optimised for high energy density applications and the Power Cell (Series P) optimised for high-rate discharge and fast charging. Cells are produced at the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry under exclusive licence from an established Asian manufacturer, sold directly to system integrators and programme customers in defence, automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial sectors requiring sovereign supply.

Product overview

Volklec offers a focused portfolio of two 21700 lithium-ion battery cell products manufactured in the UK. The Energy Cell (Series E) provides high-capacity storage optimised for runtime and longevity in EVs, grid, marine, and defence applications. The Power Cell (Series P) delivers high-rate output for burst performance and fast response in power tools, robotics, UPS, and defence applications. Both cells share the same 5.00 Ah capacity and 3.6V nominal voltage but differ in discharge characteristics — the Energy Cell at 3C continuous discharge versus the Power Cell at 12C continuous discharge. Both are manufactured at UKBIC in Coventry under exclusive licence from an established Asian manufacturer, independently tested by About:Energy and Cognition Energy, and available now for validation, qualification, and supply.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Energy Cell (Series E) High-capacity 21700 lithium-ion battery cell delivering 5.00 Ah nominal capacity and 18.00 Wh nominal energy at 3.6V, optimised for sustained energy delivery with 3C continuous discharge, 247 Wh/kg gravimetric energy density, and 800+ cycle life to 80% SOH. Designed for EVs, grid storage, marine, and defence applications where runtime and longevity are critical.
• Power Cell (Series P) High-rate 21700 lithium-ion battery cell delivering 5.00 Ah nominal capacity at 3.6V with 12C (60A) continuous discharge and ultra-low 5mΩ ACIR resistance, achieving >4,000 W/kg power density. Designed for peak-power applications including power tools, robotics, UPS, motorsport, and defence where sustained high current output and fast response are mission-critical. Supports 3C continuous charge achieving 10-80% SOC in under 14 minutes, with intelligent charge protocols supporting up to 5C rates.
• AMBERS Modular Battery Platform Modular battery pack platform developed in partnership with Ricardo (systems engineering) and Hyperbat (pack manufacturing). Features configurable block architecture scalable from 1.8kWh per module (1 to 5 modules per pack), advanced cooling architecture, wireless BMS, and AI-powered diagnostics, with a target power density of 2.6 kW/L. Applications include hybrid sports cars, defence mobility, UGV, UAS support, and other high-power applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cycle life of 800+ cycles to 80% SOH (Energy Cell)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RicardocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026AMBERS programme consortium led by Ricardo with £972k government funding. Ricardo provides systems engineering expertise for modular battery platform development targeting automotive, aerospace, off-highway and defence applications. Volklec supplies high-power 21700 cells as the core component.
• Hyperbat (Unipart company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026AMBERS programme consortium with Hyperbat providing battery pack manufacturing capability. Hyperbat, a Unipart company, contributes production expertise for scalable modular battery packs. Partnership aims to anchor more of the battery value chain in the UK.
• UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026UKBIC provides purpose-built battery cell manufacturing facility in Coventry for industrialisation at scale. Volklec's cells are manufactured at UKBIC under the DRIVE35 programme, targeting scaling from 1GWh to 10GWh capacity.
• AIH GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026AIH Group partners with Volklec under DRIVE35 programme to accelerate development of 1GWh domestic power cell manufacturing capabilities. Partnership facilitates earlier deployment of British-made cells.
• ArcadiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Arcadis provides strategic support for development of UK's first independent 10GWh battery gigafactory under DRIVE35 programme. Partnership accelerates progress towards giga-scale battery manufacturing capability.
• HSSMI (High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026HSSMI partners with Volklec to accelerate progress towards 10GWh gigafactory development. Partnership supports industrial transformation and scaling of UK battery manufacturing.
• Walker SubseaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2025Partnership with offshore technology specialist Walker Subsea to develop D-SEA underwater battery pack for remotely operated vehicles. Targets the $5.9 billion global underwater construction and defence market. Utilises Volklec's 21700-5000mAh energy cells. Underwater trials scheduled Q1 2026.
• Faraday InstitutionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK battery research institution referenced as part of Volklec's 'third way' strategy combining Chinese manufacturing expertise with UK sovereign capability through partnerships with UKBIC and Faraday Institution.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CATL: World's largest battery cell manufacturer supplying EV and ESS markets globally. The dominant low-cost incumbent whose licensing partnership is implicit in Volklec's model and whose pricing sets the floor for cell unit economics.
• Northvolt: Swedish battery cell and pack manufacturer building gigafactories in Europe. Comparable as a European cell manufacturer scaling to gigawatt capacity, though Northvolt operates at significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Samsung SDI: Global tier-1 battery cell manufacturer serving automotive, ESS and power tool markets. Comparable as a large incumbent with cylindrical and prismatic cell formats serving overlapping end markets.
• Morrow Batteries: Norwegian battery cell manufacturer building a gigafactory in Arendal, focused on LFP and next-generation chemistries. Comparable as a European gigafactory-scale cell manufacturer targeting automotive and energy storage markets.
• LG Energy Solution: Global tier-1 battery cell manufacturer supplying automotive, ESS and consumer markets. Represents the cost and scale benchmark Volklec must compete against in automotive and industrial segments.
• Verkor: French battery cell manufacturer building a gigafactory in Dunkirk targeting electric vehicles and stationary storage. Comparable as a European-funded cell manufacturer scaling to gigawatt capacity with automotive focus.
• InoBat Auto: Slovak battery cell manufacturer developing cells for automotive OEMs with a planned gigafactory. Comparable as a European cell manufacturer targeting automotive OEMs and emphasising custom cell development.

Direct peers

• Customcells: German lithium-ion cell manufacturer specialising in high-performance pouch and cylindrical cells for aviation, automotive and defence. Comparable product specialisation in high-end cells for regulated and mission-critical applications.
• AMTE Power: UK-based lithium-ion battery cell manufacturer producing pouch and cylindrical cells for automotive, energy storage and industrial markets. Directly comparable in scale, UK origin, cell-only business model and focus on sovereign UK supply.
• EAS Batteries: German large-format lithium-ion cell manufacturer serving automotive, industrial and submarine/marine applications. Directly comparable as a European-focused cell-only manufacturer targeting demanding industrial and defence customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volklec

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volklec