EV Battery Cost and Performance Enhanced in New Collaboration
DETROIT – In addition to General Motors’ several recent collaborations, GM has announced a joint research agreement with OneD Battery Sciences.
Using silicon nanotechnology in Ultium Battery Cells, the companies plan to increase energy density of the batteries, allowing for longer ranges at smaller costs.
The collaboration will be utilizing OneD’s SINANODE platform. The platform adds silicon to anode battery cells through fusion of silicon nanowires, into EV-grade graphite.
The company said silicon can store as much as 10 times the energy of graphite, therefore allowing for the creation of “smaller, lighter more efficient battery packs.”
GM Venture and Volta Energy Technologies participated in OneD’s recent Series C funding round, raising $25 million.
Kent Helfrich, GM chief technology officer, vice president of GM research and development, and president of GM Ventures, said the company plans to continue expanding its Ultium Platform as technology advances.
“GM designed Ultium to be supremely flexible platform so we can continuously improve our cells as battery technology advances,” he said. “Our collaboration with OneD will focus on efforts to continue advancements in EV range, performance and cost.”
GM said the collaboration with this type of technology is likely the first kind between two American companies.
The company has also spent several years working with the on battery research and development within its Wallace Battery Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan. Earlier this year, the center was completed, further allowing for increased battery production.
“From day one, OneD has aimed to simplify silicon as the means to a completely new era of EVs. We believe that the winners of the EV race will be those who can effectively add more silicon to the battery cell, in a way that doesn’t disrupt existing supply chains and processes,” said Vincent Pluvinage, CEO, OneD battery sciences. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with General Motors on our shared goal of accelerating mass EV adoption.”
Source: General Motors
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
