Accelerating battery innovation through simulation

FULL-MAP: Researching and addressing the battery design challenge

The traditional approach to battery material development, based on trial and error, significantly slows down the discovery and optimization process, taking years. A sequential method, where each step depends on the last, logically slows down the battery innovation, which is however required to meet the goals of electrification and sustainable energy.

Accelerating battery design is vital for cutting carbon emissions across various industries. The core challenge is moving from this slow, iterative method to a more efficient and accelerated platform approach. Such transition is essential for speeding up the development of next-generation batteries and advancing sustainable technology. The FULL-MAP project (Fully Integrated, Autonomous & Chemistry Agnostic Materials Acceleration Platform for Sustainable Batteries), with SISW as a partner, pushes the boundaries forward in this challenging domain. 

FULL-MAP: Accelerating research, design, development and processing of next-generation batteries

Siemens Industry Software NV (SISW), based in Leuven, Belgium, is a key partner in the research project FULL-MAP, an innovative initiative funded by the European Commission aimed at revolutionizing the discovery and development of battery materials and interfaces.

FULL-MAP is a pioneering initiative that seeks to redefine the limits of what is possible in battery innovation. The project focuses on creating a Materials Acceleration Platform (MAP) that amplifies human capabilities, enabling faster, more efficient development of new battery chemistries with ultra-high performances. To achieve this, FULL-MAP relies on the development of a unique R&D infrastructure and accelerated methodology that integrates inverse design of materials and computational and experimental methods with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Autonomous Synthesis, and extensive High-Throughput characterization and testing. FULL-MAP’s comprehensive and modular approach also encompasses key analyses at various levels, from material to cell assembly. It simulates the entire battery development process, from material design to final battery testing, considering environmental and economic factors, significantly advancing sustainable battery technology.

Siemens Software adopts smarter models and simulation to accelerate battery innovation

As part of our FULL-MAP research effort, SISW focuses on accelerating battery innovation, which starts with smarter models. We pursue this track by performing research along three key pillars:

1. Materials Discovery

Advanced materials design requires cutting-edge technologies, which allow for the manipulation of material characteristics almost at the molecular level¹. Smart and accurate models, combined with efficient simulation up to 3D high-fidelity² can lead to innovative applications; this also holds for battery research. In our FULL-MAP research, we use physics-based simulations to evaluate transport properties, mechanical behavior, and interfacial characteristics across multiple chemistries³. This replaces costly trial-and-error experiments with targeted computational screening, identifying high-value candidates ready for lab validation while reducing time, cost, and risk.

2. Cell-Level Simulation

We build multi-physics models that accurately capture real battery behavior—including cell geometry effects and realistic aging mechanisms. These high-fidelity models enable teams to evaluate design trade-offs and integration strategies virtually, aligning predictions with actual lifetime and performance before building physical prototypes⁴. This will further advance our solutions in battery cell design⁵, one of the most critical challenges in the industrial race toward electrification.

3. Machine Learning Acceleration

We leverage Machine Learning (ML) to make detailed simulations computationally feasible. Transfer Learning reuses knowledge across related chemistries when data is scarce, while reduced-order models cut computation time by orders of magnitude. Modular workflows integrate everything from atomistic screening to continuum simulations, enabling rapid exploration of design options and “what-if” scenarios.

The targeted result is to enable faster, cheaper, more predictive battery development cycles with fewer experiments and quicker iterations.

Acknowledgements & FULL-MAP community

The European Commission is gratefully acknowledged for funding the project FULL-MAP (Fully Integrated, Autonomous & Chemistry Agnostic Materials Acceleration Platform for Sustainable Batteries), under the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, with grant agreement No. 101192848, and the involvement in the Battery2030+ Initiative (Battery 2030 CSA3, GA No. 101104022).

The FULL-MAP project is key for the future of the European battery ecosystem, and we believe it could be of great interest to you. We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the project’s progress, and follow the project on LinkedIn, and X for regular updates.

Our first edition of the newsletter will be released at the end of January 2026. Here’s what you’ll gain by joining our community:

• Stay informed about groundbreaking research on “self-driving” laboratories that use AI to accelerate battery material discovery by a factor of five.
• Connect with key players across the battery value chain who are establishing a shared European data infrastructure and shaping the transition to green energy.
• Participate in exclusive events such as webinars and workshops where experts will discuss the role of Digital Twins, AI-orchestrated robotics, and novel battery chemistries.

As part of the FULL-MAP consortium, we appreciate your interest and support.

References

1. Robin Bornoff, Dirk Hartmann, On the ongoing evolution of industrial simulation, The Art of the Possible blog, Siemens Digital Industries Software, May 29, 2024.  ↩︎
2. Gaetan Damblanc, Re-think Lithium-ion battery cell design now – with 3D high fidelity simulation, Simcenter Blog, Sept. 11, 2024.  ↩︎
3. Siemens Digital Industries Software, Simcenter Culgi, Retrieved 2026. ↩︎
4. Siemens Digital Industries Software, Simcenter, Retrieved 2026. ↩︎
5. Siemens Digital Industries Software,Battery Cell Design, Retrieved 2026. ↩︎