01 What is special about HPB technology?

In short: a production-ready all-solid-state battery with superior properties. Longevity, sustainability, and safety take centre stage. Based on over 30 years of fundamental research into battery ageing, we have succeeded in understanding and preventing the ageing processes in conventional lithium-ion batteries. The fact that this also works in practice has been proven by measurements on cells that have been cycled for over three years under harsh conditions (1C/1C charge/discharge at 0-100% state of charge) - with over 12,500 charging cycles to date. The basis for this is the patented HPB Solid-State Electrolyte, a new type of electrolyte that is characterised not least by its very high ionic conductivity over a wide temperature range (tested for -40 to +60°C), which is far higher than the conductivity of conventional liquid organic electrolytes.

02 Why is the HPB Solid-State Battery the green key to the energy transition?

Batteries are indispensable for the energy transition. However, their production requires large quantities of raw materials and energy, and their very limited cycle life will foreseeably lead to an enormous recycling and disposal problem. The HPB Solid-State Battery does not contain any critical raw materials such as cobalt and, thanks to its extremely long cycle life, can significantly reduce not only resource consumption but also future recycling and disposal requirements. When it comes to recycling, it can score points thanks to the easy separability of the value-bearing components stainless steel (housing) and nickel (current collector) as well as the active masses. As a company, we also use our influence on environmentally friendly production by obliging our licencees to carry out a life cycle assessment at cell level.

03 What makes the HPB Solid-State Battery so safe to use?

Conventional lithium-ion batteries are associated with a certain risk of fire and explosion, which impairs their acceptance (e.g. in the home storage sector) and limits their application potential. In contrast to conventional liquid organic electrolytes, the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte is not flammable. Therefore, not only does the HPB Solid-State Battery not pose a fire hazard, but it is also considerably less flammable than conventional lithium-ion batteries when exposed to an externally caused fire. Safety also includes potential harm to people and the environment if battery cells are damaged in an accident, for example. Significant advantages over conventional batteries can also be expected in this area.

04 Which substances are contained in the HPB Solid-State Battery?

The active materials used in the HPB Solid-State Battery are lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and graphite. In addition, there is stainless steel for the battery housing, nickel for the current collectors and the ingredients for the solid-state electrolyte. Unlike in NMC batteries, the nickel is present in pure form, which ensures good recyclability. None of the materials used have a high criticality, such as cobalt in NMC batteries.

05 What are the performance data of the HPB Solid-State Battery?

At a nominal voltage of 3.2 V, each cell has a capacity of 50 Ah (160 Wh). This capacity can be fully utilised, i.e. from 0-100 % state of charge. The HPB Solid-State Battery is not only resistant to deep discharge, but can also be fast-charged: 2C/2C (i.e. half hourly) charging/discharging is possible as a continuous load, the minute load capacity is 6C. The energy density is up to 150 Wh/kg or 350 Wh/l. Eight cells are combined to form a module with a capacity of 1.28 kWh, and eight modules are combined to form a home storage battery with a capacity of 10.24 kWh. Based on this modular design, HPB Solid-State Batteries can be scaled as required, and the voltage and current can be adapted to the respective requirements through serial or parallel connection.

06 Why is the HPB Solid-State Battery ready for series production?

The HPB Solid-State Electrolyte forms after the addition of a liquid ingredient inside the cell. This allows two challenges faced by other solid-state battery approaches to be solved at once: A close contact is created between the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte and the electrodes, which is absolutely essential for good conductivity. What's more, established production technology for lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes can be used to set up series production. We co-operate with a network of European plant manufacturers who have already gained experience with a precursor technology and are ready to set up production. The planning of production facilities up to plant level (both for pilot production and for gigafactories) is available.

07 Which licence holders already exist?

Production licence agreements have been concluded with Swiss Clean Battery AG in Switzerland and Electric One Holding in India. Volt-Bar GmbH, based in Germany, is building a pilot production facility and, in connection with this, holds the market development licence for home storage systems and battery-backed charging infrastructure in the DACH region, BENELUX and Scandinavia. Talks are currently underway with a large number of prospective licence holders, for example in the USA, Canada, India, South Africa, Nigeria, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia and Germany.

08 When will production of the HPB Solid-State Battery begin?

The production of the HPB Solid-State Battery and the corresponding schedules are in the hands of our licence holders. All the prerequisites for a prompt start of production are in place: Production processes, plant plans and a network of competent companies from the plant engineering sector are ready. From the start of the project (financing and go-ahead for construction) to series production, a lead time of around 24 months can be expected, not least due to long delivery times in plant engineering. We currently assume that industrial series production will begin in Germany in early 2026.

09 For which fields of application is HPB technology suitable?

The focus in the development of the HPB Solid-State Battery is on stationary applications (home storage, industrial storage, large-scale storage for grid stabilisation, etc.). This is where the advantageous properties of our technology come into their own - not least the extremely long cycle life, which enables multiple use of storage systems and thus completely new business models. The field of stationary applications is just as important for a successful energy transition as the field of mobile applications, which has been the focus of much more debate to date, and also represents an enormously large, exponentially growing market.

10 Is HPB in talks with the automotive industry?

In the automotive industry, the choice of technology has so far centred on energy density. This often overlooks the fact that energy density is only of limited significance without considering contextual factors (combustible batteries require additional safety constructions on the chassis, lack of deep discharge resistance means unusable capacity, etc.). Furthermore, focussing on range ignores the fact that a range of 500 km, for example, is only a comfort problem if the batteries used are not fully fast-charging capable, i.e. over the entire SoC range. Against this background, the HPB Solid-State Battery is a real alternative for sustainable e-mobility. For companies that want to develop their own cell technologies with a higher energy density based on the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte, we offer this separately as a licensed product. We are currently in talks with companies in the automotive industry about this.

11 How far does the patent protection of HPB developments extend?

HPB technology is protected in 96 countries worldwide and therefore in all relevant markets. The HPB Solid-State Electrolyte as the core element of our technology is protected as a substance and is therefore also "immune" to the possible development of alternative production methods. All patent specifications are freely available on our homepage at https://www.highperformancebattery.ch/en/medien-corner.php.

12 How can I participate in the HPB?

HPB finances itself in the start-up phase primarily through the sale of company shares to private investors. The company is not listed on the stock exchange because as a technology developer - unlike production companies - we are not dependent on the financing of growing production. Instead, shares are sold directly by the company to future shareholders. Entry is possible from a quantity of 200 shares. If you are interested, the share purchase agreement can be requested at https://www.highperformancebattery.ch/en/contact.php. After both parties have signed and payment has been received, we will send you a letter confirming your entry in our shareholder register.

13 What is the relationship between HPB Holding AG and HPB Technology GmbH?

HPB Technology GmbH, based in Bonn, Germany, is a wholly owned subsidiary of HPB Holding AG, based in Teufen, Switzerland. HPB Holding AG is solely responsible for financing the operating activities of HPB Technology GmbH; it has no operating activities of its own. All patents are held by HPB Technology GmbH in Germany, as is technology licensing. The acquisition of shares in HPB Holding AG is therefore directly linked to the assets in HPB Technology GmbH. In Switzerland, corporate financing through an AG is also a standard instrument for start-ups.

14 How is the price of the shares determined?

With a share capital of CHF 100,000 and 10 million shares, the nominal value of each share corresponds to CHF 0.01. However, the share capital as liable equity is of limited relevance for shareholders, as in the extreme case of insolvency all other claims take priority. The market price of the shares, currently CHF 23.50, results from the company valuation of CHF 235 million. Two valuation methods were used for this purpose: (1) The discounted cash flow method for valuing the business case, which is in line with a valuation of our property rights and the TCV (total contract value) of licence agreements already concluded. (2) In the case of unlisted companies, the actual sale of shares at a certain price also determines the market valuation of the company.

15 When is an IPO planned?

There are currently no plans for HPB Holding AG to go public. Stock market financing is an obvious option for scaling up battery production. This field of activity lies with our licencees. However, HPB's business model, which focuses on technology development and licensing, is "asset light" - which is why an IPO is not currently necessary or advantageous. As soon as production starts on the licensees' side and licence fees flow to HPB, attractive dividends will be distributed to the shareholders of HPB Holding AG. The question of an IPO of HPB Holding AG will be decided again by the shareholders in due course.

16 How can I sell my shares again?

The sale of HPB shares is possible and is similar to the sale of a condominium: the prospective seller looks for a buyer and agrees on a price with them. Once the transaction has been completed, HPB takes over the transfer of the company shares in the shareholders' register. A brokerage role cannot be assumed. If necessary, the introduction of a buyback offer by HPB Holding AG is conceivable in the course of business development. As the HPB share is a high-dividend security, we assume that the sale of company shares is not financially attractive for shareholders.

17 How many shares are still available for purchase?

Since HPB Holding AG was founded, the total number of shares held has totalled 10 million. A capital increase in shares has been avoided to date. No dilution (i.e. increase in the number of shares for the capital increase) is planned for the future either. As at 11/2023, around 13% of the company's shares were still freely available for purchase.

18 Why is it worth buying shares for me as a shareholder?

HPB pursues a consistent high-dividend policy. The potential licence income in the exponentially growing battery market is enormous. At the same time, the running costs that HPB has to bear as a technology development company are comparatively low. A considerable proportion of the licence income can therefore be distributed to shareholders. Anyone who acquires shares in the company and thus supports the implementation of the HPB business model at an early stage should benefit from this in the long term - with licence income increasing over time due to rising production.

19 Will the price of shares continue to rise in future?

In the past, the share price was reviewed and adjusted annually. The achievement of important milestones - completion of the sample cell, independently confirmed measurement results for longevity and conductivity, etc. - has reduced the risk discounts in the company valuation and thus increased the enterprise value and share price. This procedure of regularly reviewing and adjusting the share price will be maintained as long as shares are available in HPB Holding AG's own portfolio and are not traded on the stock exchange.

20 Is HPB planning to develop further innovative battery technologies?

Yes, HPB Technology GmbH is working on further innovations in the field of sustainable and safe battery storage for the energy transition. The next steps include varying the active materials to achieve higher energy densities with the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte.