PEM Motion und zahlreiche Partner stärken mit dem Cluster „FastBat“ das Rheinische Revier als Zukunftsstandort für Batterietechnologien

PEM Motion has joined the FastBat battery innovation cluster alongside 13 partners from research and industry to accelerate the development of safer, more efficient, and sustainable battery technologies. Supported by €50 million in public funding, the initiative aims to strengthen innovation and drive structural transformation in Germany’s Rheinisches Revier region. The project focuses on faster battery development processes, advanced testing and validation methods, smart Battery Management Systems (BMS), and knowledge transfer between research, industry, and start-ups to foster long-term economic growth and industrial competitiveness.

Published on

May 27, 2026

Aachen, 22/05/2025

With the “Fast Battery Customization (FastBat)” cluster, PEM Motion, together with 13 partners from research and industry, is participating in a forward-looking innovation project in the Rhenish mining region aimed at accelerating the market readiness of new battery technologies.

The goal of the project is to make the development of high-performance, safe, and sustainable battery systems more efficient while sustainably strengthening the region’s innovative capacity. The German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is funding the cluster with a total of €50 million under the Structural Strengthening Act for Coal Regions. The objective is to establish a unique innovation ecosystem for battery technologies in the Rhenish mining region and actively support the structural transformation of the area. At the same time, the cluster aligns seamlessly with the German government’s High-Tech Agenda, which identifies the establishment of battery technology in Europe as one of its key priorities.

As an international development and consulting partner for battery technologies, PEM Motion contributes its extensive expertise in Battery Compliance & Testing, intelligent BMS solutions, as well as knowledge transfer and training.

Unlocking Potential and Driving Structural Transformation

The cluster addresses two key challenges for competitiveness in battery development: faster development cycles and customized solutions for small-series specialized applications. “FastBat” will therefore not only enable technological progress, but also create new value creation opportunities and economic prospects for companies, start-ups, and skilled professionals in the Rhenish mining region. The transformation is clearly guided by the structural policy recommendations of the Structural Strengthening Act, which aims to create profitable market opportunities in former coal regions and promote sustainable economic growth.

Faster Battery Development Through Digital Validation and Targeted Testing

Within the project, PEM Motion assumes key responsibilities in FastBat Center I (Fast Product Development) in the methodological safeguarding and validation of modern battery systems. The objective is to significantly shorten development times and iteration cycles while making the underlying processes more efficient.

By using simulation-based methods and targeted validation strategies at an early stage, decisions can already be secured during the initial phases of development. In particular, the continuous integration of development, testing, and documentation is a major acceleration factor.

Modern testing and analysis methods enable more precise forecasts regarding the performance, safety, and lifespan of future battery systems. At the same time, regulatory requirements and normative frameworks are systematically integrated into development processes from the very beginning.

In this way, development risks can be reduced and innovation cycles accelerated. This represents a crucial factor for the international competitiveness of the European battery industry.

Together with the partners in FastBat Center I, PEM Motion is creating the foundation for end-to-end, data-driven, and more efficient development processes, as well as for the faster transfer of new battery technologies into industrial applications.

Intelligent BMS Technologies as a Key Technology

Another focus of FastBat lies within FastBat Center II (Product Innovations), specifically in the development of smart Battery Management Systems (BMS).

The BMS serves as the interface between the battery cells and the overall system. It has two central tasks: ensuring safe operation and calculating key state parameters. These include the current charge level (“State of Charge”, SoC) and battery aging (“State of Health”, SoH). These parameters cannot be measured directly and must instead be calculated.

PEM Motion is working together with Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences (HSD) and Accure Battery Intelligence on innovative BMS solutions for calculating these parameters in order to significantly improve battery safety and service life.

Among other things, the BMS is being expanded with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurement technology. Thanks to additional measurements, the algorithms can be optimized and the accuracy of the results improved.

The development of efficient key components for battery systems not only strengthens the innovative capabilities of the participating companies, but also creates long-term prospects for industrial value creation and qualified jobs in the Rhenish mining region.

Knowledge Transfer and Qualification as Success Factors for Structural Change

In addition to technological innovation, FastBat focuses particularly on direct and sustainable technology and knowledge transfer.

FastBat Center V (Implementation) performs a cross-sectional function across the entire cluster structure. It acts as a connecting umbrella over all four thematic centers and contributes significantly to integrating and increasing the visibility of all activities.

In FastBat Center V, PEM Motion, together with the company Gigabatt, supports start-ups, young technology companies, and skilled workers in the Rhenish mining region in efficiently implementing new ideas and scaling innovative business models more quickly.

Through hands-on training, networking formats, and intensive exchange between research and industry, an innovation-friendly environment is created that accelerates new ideas and unlocks synergies between different stakeholders.

A flexible stationary energy storage system serves as an application platform for testing new technologies.

PEM Motion is therefore contributing to the establishment of a strong battery network in the region, ensuring that the Rhenish mining region is recognized in the long term as a major European hub for battery technologies and sustainable mobility solutions.

FastBat as a Driving Force for the Region’s Industrial Future

With the FastBat cluster, PEM Motion and its project partners demonstrate how technological innovation, knowledge transfer, and regional transformation can be successfully combined. The project merges scientific excellence with industrial application expertise and creates important prerequisites for a sustainable and competitive battery industry in Europe.

For the Rhenish mining region, FastBat represents far more than just a research project. It is a significant strategic building block for mastering economic transformation in the former coal region, leveraging market opportunities, and ensuring long-term competitiveness.

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