Ener1 reported today that its subsidiary, EnerDel, has moved to the next phase in its contract with the Department of Defense. Under the contract, EnerDel is helping the Pentagon develop high performance lithium-ion batteries for unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAV’s.

In September, EnerDel was awarded $4 million to create "lightweight, high-performance battery solutions" for military use. Now, EnerDel has received a Phase 2 award of $1.46 million to develop a complimentary anode for the UAV’s to enable them to fly for longer periods.

EnerDel CEO Ulrich Grape commented on the contract, saying

"The DoD is one of the most demanding customers there is. Our collaboration is pushing the capabilities of EnerDel’s battery cell technology. We believe the market opportunities for developing advanced battery technologies for the military are substantial and will create research and development synergies with our core business of supplying complete systems solutions for the automotive industry."