UK battery cell manufacturer Volklec has secured a government-backed role in the Advanced Modular Battery System programme, AMBERS, a UK-led battery product under development for automotive and defence customers seeking a faster, domestic route to electrification.
With investment from the Battery Innovation Programme, a £452 million government-backed programme delivered by Innovate UK and supported by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), AMBERS brings together Volklec, Ricardo and Hyperbat, a Unipart company, to develop a scalable modular battery solution for demanding hybrid and electric applications.
Core to the AMBERS programme is development of a modular battery pack engineered for the high-performance automotive and defence industries. Engineered around Volklec’s high-power 21700 cells and a configurable block architecture, the solution incorporates cells and battery management systems, and can be scaled to meet different voltage, power, packaging, integration and qualification requirements. Each pack contains between one and five modules, with an energy capacity of 1.8kWh per module.
The packs will offer several applications across automotive and defence, including hybrid sports cars, specialist automotive platforms, defence mobility, auxiliary power, UGV and UAS support systems, high-power mobile platforms and other applications where customers require compact, robust and scalable battery systems. For defence and regulated customers, sovereign capability can support procurement requirements, reduce supply-chain risk, improve security of supply and support UK and allied programmes.
For specialist automotive and defence manufacturers, AMBERS addresses a key barrier to electrification: how to access a robust, high-power battery solution without needing to develop every layer of cell, pack, BMS, cooling and integration capability in-house. It offers a faster, lower-risk route to a scalable battery module built around sovereign UK cells.
Johan Andersson, Chief Commercial Officer at Volklec, commented, “AMBERS is exactly the type of programme the UK needs: application-led, execution-focused and built around the capabilities required to manufacture advanced battery systems at speed. By combining Volklec’s high-power 21700 cell capability with Ricardo’s systems engineering expertise and Hyperbat’s pack manufacturing experience, AMBERS creates a scalable route for customers to access advanced, sovereign battery technology without having to build every layer of capability themselves.”
With support from Innovate UK and DBT, AMBERS will now progress through development, with prototype samples scheduled for deployment in April 2028. Customers interested in early access or requirements engagement can contact Volklec to discuss platform configuration, qualification needs and future production pathways.
