Sustainable battery company to accelerate innovation in Africa

Aceleron, a sustainable battery technology firm has secured a deal with Mobility 54 Investment SAS, a subsidiary of Toyota Group, to accelerate battery innovation in Africa.

The Bromsgrove-based company received £5m in funding from a range of partners and investors including Mobility 54, the Business Growth Fund and Mercia in a series A round and have been endorsed by the Department for International Trade.

The investment will help improve farming practices and mobility in rural parts of Africa by providing long-term battery power, with reuse and rebuild operations supporting contributions to a circular economy.

Dr Amrit Chandan, CEO and Founder of Aceleron, said: “The company began operations in Africa in 2021 and has started assembling repurposed and reconditioned battery packs for use by local communities.

“With the partnership funding and expansion of the battery, we are contributing to the electrification of the mobility and renewable energy sector in Africa.

Aceleron launched its lithium-ion battery in 2021, removing the use of permanently bonded or fixed components to enable scalability, easy servicing, and functional and performance upgrades.

Africa is expected to experience rapid growth (forecast at 11% CAGR 1) in the battery market due to the expansion of solar photovoltaics (PV) and e-micro mobility use.

The introduction of an affordable, high-quality battery is essential for long-term viability for sustainable energy solutions in Africa as currently there are various low-cost and low-quality batteries but with insufficient infrastructure for safe disposal.

Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford said: “UK businesses are paving the way for greener engineering. The UK government has supported Aceleron from an early stage to develop their game-changing clean and sustainable battery packs which will improve access to clean energy across Africa, helping to develop a clean, green economy.”

Mobility 54 and CFAO SAS will contribute to the deployment of Aceleron’s technology by using its existing business network and partners to create a series of synergies.

In addition. Mobility 54 will create a commercial opportunity with Aceleron to use the batteries in solar panels and e-scooters.

The partnership is also pursuing an ‘Essential’ battery, a product that is scalable, serviceable and upgradable to remove the hassle of replacing storage solutions every couple of years and reduce the amount of waste generated by the industry.

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