Belgium-based chemical firm Solvay inaugurated a new pilot unit for developing materials used in the production of solid state batteries in La Rochelle, France that will support the battery industry as the market for electric vehicles (EVs) grows.

“The world has never needed so many batteries, powering today’s and tomorrow’s sustainable cities, communities, and technologies. We are contributing to this underlying trend by focusing our efforts on innovation that will bring new, safer and more efficient solutions to our customers – meeting the automotive industry’s rising demand for electric vehicles.” Ilham Kadri, chief executive officer of Solvay, said in a company release Friday. “With more than 20 years expertise, Solvay is the front-runner in Europe for this new technology and we’ll continue to work on innovative and disruptive technologies for the next generations of battery technologies.”

Solvay’s new unit will develop advanced inorganic materials for solid electrolytes and enable the firm to examine the industrial feasibility of materials for generation 4 – or “solid state” – batteries. Solid state batteries are anticipated to replace lithium-ion batteries over the next few years.