Kautex Textron Leads the Newly Launched RESiLiTE Project Co-funded by Horizon Europe

21 August 2025 – Kautex Textron, a global leader in automotive plastic fuel systems design and manufacturing, is the project coordinator for the newly launched RESiLiTE project. The initiative is co-funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s primary funding programme for research and innovation.

The RESiLiTE project (Robust, Economical, Silicon-rich, Lightweight, and Thermally Efficient battery packs) will create innovative battery packs for automotive applications, with the goal of extending this technology to aircraft.  The project aims to integrate large format cylindrical cells employed by major car manufacturers worldwide within a novel thermoplastic battery housing, increasing the energy density, energy efficiency, operative temperature range, fire safety and sustainability of upcoming battery packs.

The consortium, led by Kautex, consists of nine partners, including industry leaders (automotive OEM/supplier, battery R&D) and research institutions from across Europe. With funding from the European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency totaling approximately €6.2 million, the RESiLiTE project commenced in July 2025 and is scheduled to run for 36 months.

The project has 6 main work dimensions - Work Packages (WP):  Project Management & Coordination (WP1), SSbD ruled mechanical & thermal design (WP3), manufacturing & Assembly (WP5) led by Kautex; end user requirements & architecture (WP2) led by Togg; battery modelling, BMS development & validation (WP4) led by Infineon Technologies; multilevel testing & benchmarking (WP6), led by RWTH Aachen University; sustainability & LCA (WP7), led by Fraunhofer; and Dissemination, Communication, Exploitation & Standardisation (WP8), led by Inova+.

The development of the battery pack is organized in two main building blocks: development activities and testing & validation.

The development focuses on four key technological pillars:

·         Housing Mechanical Design, emphasizing robust structural components and crash safety;

·         Thermal Management Design, including advanced thermal control systems;

·         Diagnostics, involving sophisticated sensing technology and algorithms for early detection of battery health issues;

·         Battery Modelling, which supports precise monitoring and operational efficiency.

For Carsten Elsasser, Kautex’s Director of Innovation & Strategy, the RESiLiTE project marks a transformative leap in energy storage innovation. “By combining innovative, predictive thermal management systems and composite battery enclosures using recyclable thermoplastics, we are not just shaping the future of automotive battery packs, but also building the foundation for future, cross-industry sustainability. ” 

About RESiLiTE

Consortium entities: Kautex Textron, RWTH Aachen University, University of Ljubljana, Infineon Technologies, CIDETEC, Fraunhofer LBF, INOVA+, Air Energy Entwicklungs GmbH & Co KG and Togg.

The RESiLiTE project (Robust, Economical, Silicon-rich, Lightweight, and Thermally Efficient battery packs) aims at increasing the energy density, energy efficiency, operative temperature range, fire safety and sustainability of upcoming battery packs for automotive vehicles and, subsequently, aircrafts. To achieve the project goals, cylindrical cells in the format 4695 will be tightly packed via a Cell To Pack (C2P) approach within a lightweight housing. The housing will be made of recycled fiber-reinforced thermoplastic materials. A cell-holder structurally integrated in the housing will allow the complete removal of potting materials. With the proposed concept, 230 Wh/kg energy density at pack level is aimed. This is more than 19% higher than the present SotA. Charging/discharging C-rates higher than 4.5C will be achieved thanks to the combined indirect cooling solutions integrated within the housing's cell-holder. Fire safety will be improved via a soft-venting concept, coupled with fire-retardant naomaterials integrated in the cell-holder. In order to achieve a high degree of redundance for safety measures, advanced diagnostics software will be accompanied by the implementation of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) sensors. Model-based SoX estimation algorithms will be implemented on the BMS to improve the diagnostic capability of the system. Thermal management control will be designed via a scenario-based algorithm with the help of Neural Networks (NN). This will increase the pack's energy efficiency. The employment of thermoplastic materials for the housing will also thermally insulate the pack, resulting in longer stand-time in cold environments before the need for active heating solutions. The proposed measures and materials help drive down the overall cost of ownership throughout the lifetime of the battery pack, offering a more resilient system with respect to the SotA.

For more information:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/resilite-project/