Jun 29, 2026 – 6.10amSicona, an Australian company born out of University of Wollongong patents, has won a $45 million government grant to develop battery parts that could fast-charge electric vehicles in 10 minutes instead of 30, make data centres more efficient and let drones carry packages further for longer.Sicona Battery Technologies founder and chief executive Christiaan Jordaan said its silicon-carbon material increased the energy density, charge and discharge rate of lithium batteries by replacing graphite in batteries’ anodes.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles