BRUSSELS — The European Commission said in a statement it had approved, under EU State aid rules, 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) worth of French state support for ProLogium Technologies to research and develop a new generation of electric vehicle batteries.
It said that the measure will contribute to the achievement of the strategic objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU battery strategy.
The research is focused on solid-state batteries for electric vehicles. The technology uses solid instead of liquid electrolyte to develop batteries that have a higher energy density and are safer for consumers than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
ProLogium, founded in 2006, is one of a handful of companies touting advanced solid-state battery technology. It has an agreement to develop solid-state batteries with Automotive Cells Co., which is a venture between Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and TotalEnergies.
Under the measure, the aid will take the form of a direct grant of up to 1.5 billion euros that will cover the R&D project until the end of 2029.
ProLogium will build a battery gigafactory in France’s northern region around the port of Dunkirk.