BatteryTech News & Updates – 2024 #15
Julian Renpenning
Scientific-Technological Marketing & Business Development | Battery Tech Enthusiast | B2B Marketing Expert | Consultant | Former Scientist, PhD, Postdoc
Hello, fellow battery tech enthusiasts and professionals. As always, below is a weekly summary of the world's most recent developments in battery technology and the electric vehicle (EV) market.
?? Global EV Battery Market Share in Jan-Feb 2024
Global EV battery consumption was 92.4 GWh in January-February 2024, an increase of 27.0% compared to the same period last year. CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd.) maintained its lead with 35.5 GWh of installed batteries, an increase of 44.9% year on year. LG Energy Solution installed 12.7 GWh of power batteries, up 24.8% year on year, and improved its market share to 13.7% from 11.4% in January 2024. BYD saw a decrease in installations to 12.1 GWh, down 3.1% year over year. Panasonic remained in fourth place with a market share of 6.7%. Samsung SDI and SK On ranked fifth and sixth with 5.6% and 4.5% market share, respectively.
?? Hyundai Motor and Kia Partner with India's Exide Energy to Produce LFP Batteries
Hyundai and Kia have signed an agreement with Exide Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of Exide Industries, to mass produce LFP batteries for new India-specific EV models. Local production of batteries with Exide will reduce the cost of EVs by approximately 40%, making these vehicles more affordable in India. This move is in line with India's aggressive EV adoption targets set by the government, which aim to increase EV market share from less than 1% today to 30% by 2030. As the world's third-largest car market, India offers high-growth potential for EVs.
?? Amprius Selected to Power AIBOT’s aiEVTOL Ecosystem
Amprius Technologies, recognized for its next-generation lithium-ion batteries using a silicon anode platform, is partnering with AIBOT. AIBOT is at the forefront of developing Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, both crewed and uncrewed, which are critical to the future of advanced air mobility. The partnership will utilize Amprius' SiCoreTM batteries, known for their high energy density and reliability, which are essential for the high demands of eVTOL applications. These batteries will power AIBOT's heavy-lift air cargo drones and a six-passenger eVTOL air taxi, increasing operational range and cost efficiency.
?? Ascend Elements, Elemental Strategic Metals form European EV Battery Recycling Venture
U.S.-based Ascend Elements and Poland's Elemental Strategic Metals have formed a joint venture called AE Elemental to focus on recycling electric vehicle batteries in Europe. The first recycling facility is already operational in Zawiercie, Poland. Plans are underway to open a second plant in Germany to significantly increase recycling capacity. The Zawiercie plant currently has a recycling capacity of 12,000 tons per year, which is equivalent to the recycling needs of approximately 28,000 electric vehicles. Another proposed site in central Germany will potentially recycle up to 25,000 tons of batteries each year.
?? Inauguration of E-Cells Lab by The University of Bologna, Ferrari, and NXP
In collaboration with Ferrari and NXP Semiconductors, the University of Bologna officially opened the E-Cells Lab on April 8. The new lab is dedicated to the research and development of solid-state lithium-ion battery cells. In particular, Ferrari will focus on fast charging, thermal management, safety, and overall cell efficiency, using the lab's research to improve the battery performance of its vehicles. Ferrari has committed both financial and technical resources to the lab, underscoring its strategic importance to the company's electrification future.
?? BYD’s 2nd Generation Blade Battery to Launch this Year
BYD plans to launch the second generation of its blade battery later this year, targeting an August release. The new battery will have an improved energy density that is expected to exceed 190 Wh/kg, up from 140–150 Wh/kg in the first generation. Improvements in the second generation include not only higher energy density, but also reductions in size and weight, contributing to overall vehicle performance and range improvements. The upcoming blade battery is expected to help all-electric models exceed the 1,000-kilometer China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) range, making them viable competitors to emerging solid-state and semi-solid-state batteries.
??BMW Group and Rimac Technology Form Long-term Partnership
BMW Group and Croatia-based Rimac Technology have announced a long-term strategic partnership to develop high-voltage battery systems for future electric vehicles (EVs). The partnership will focus on the development of innovative high-voltage battery solutions for selected BMW vehicle projects. Both companies will leverage their respective strengths: BMW's extensive experience in battery and electric drive systems and Rimac's specialization in high-voltage battery technology and electrification.
?? VW Certifies CATL Battery Test Centre in Erfurt
CATL's battery test center in Erfurt, Germany, has received official certification from Volkswagen, marking the beginning of its fully operational status to serve European partners and customers. The certification confirms the high standards of testing, including electrical characterization, aging, environmental impact, and safety, in accordance with both industry and specific VW Group criteria. Beginning in Q2 2024, CATL plans to expand these testing services beyond the automotive sector to other industries that use electric batteries to improve product reliability and safety.
领英推荐
?? Gelion Fabricates 395 Wh/kg Lithium-Sulfur 9.5 Ah Gouch Cell
Gelion has created a lithium-sulfur (Li-S) 9.5 Ah pouch cell that has an energy density of 395 Wh/kg, which is about 60% higher than the average energy density of lithium-ion batteries today (on average 250 Wh/kg). The latest development uses OXIS Gen2 cell technology and intellectual property from Johnson Matthey. The company is also developing silicon-sulfur (Si-S) cell technology in collaboration with Ionblox. Sulfur, an abundant material, provides a sustainable and less geographically constrained alternative to traditional battery metals used in cathodes.
?? BYD, JA Solar Form Strategic Partnership to Jointly Develop Energy Storage Products
BYD and JA Solar have entered into a strategic partnership to jointly develop and improve energy storage products and to integrate these solutions with photovoltaic power generation for global markets. This partnership will leverage the strengths of both companies in the new energy sector and represents a significant step towards innovative energy solutions.
?? Panasonic Energy to Launch New R&D Facility for Battery Production Development in Japan
Panasonic Energy has completed construction of a new R&D facility in Suminoe, Osaka, next to its existing battery manufacturing plant. This facility is designed to focus on the development of next-generation battery production processes. The new center will serve as an important hub for Panasonic to develop innovative production process technologies. It aims to strengthen Panasonic's manufacturing capabilities and expand its production capacity worldwide. Panasonic plans to quadruple its annual production capacity for electric car battery cells to 200 GWh by March 2031.
?? BASF Puts Plans for Cathode Material Factory in Finland On Hold
BASF planned to open a plant in Harjavalta, Finland, for the production of cathode material precursors, which are essential for battery production. The initial announcement was made in October 2018, with the aim of starting production by the end of 2020. The project has faced several delays due to a complex and lengthy permitting process, with several rounds of permits being issued and subsequently appealed. The Vaasa Administrative Court recently revoked a temporary permit for the plant, further complicating the timeline. These legal setbacks have led BASF to consider indefinite layoffs of employees at the Harjavalta site as the final, unappealable permit remains uncertain.
?? Orion S.A. Breaks Ground on Battery Materials Plant in Texas
Orion S.A., a global leader in specialty chemicals and carbon black production, has broken ground on a new plant in La Porte, Texas. The facility will focus on the production of acetylene-based conductive additives essential for lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. The Texas plant will be the only facility in the United States dedicated to these additives, marking an important step in localizing critical components of the battery supply chain in North America.
?? Graphjet Technology to Build New Agricultural Waste-to-Graphite Production Facility in Nevada
Graphjet Technology announces its plans to build a new facility to convert agricultural waste into graphite. This facility is expected to process approximately 30,000 tons of agricultural waste per year and convert it into up to 10,000 tons of graphite. The initiative will significantly reduce agricultural waste, an often overlooked environmental hazard, by using it as a feedstock for graphite production. This process not only helps manage waste, but also promotes sustainability by providing a green alternative to traditional, generally more polluting graphite production methods.
?? Green Li-ion Opens Oklahoma Battery Materials Plant
Green Li-ion has opened a new facility in Atoka, Oklahoma, located within an existing recycling facility. This facility will process the black mass from used lithium-ion batteries to produce battery grade cathode precursor, lithium, and anode materials. The facility is part of a broader industry push to localize the battery materials processing chain in the U.S., which has historically been conducted primarily overseas, particularly in China. The plant will focus on processing black mass, which contains valuable materials such as nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese.
?? Vulcan Energy Extracts First Lithium Chloride in a New Plant in Landau, Germany
Vulcan Energy Resources has commenced production of carbon-neutral lithium chloride at its extraction plant in Landau, Germany, making it the first company in Europe to produce lithium entirely locally. The company is using geothermal brine to extract lithium, which supports the sustainability goals of reducing the carbon footprint of lithium production. The Landau plant has achieved up to 95% efficiency in lithium extraction using the A-DLE (Adsorption Direct Lithium Extraction) process. This high-efficiency replicates the successful results previously achieved in laboratory and pilot projects.
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In a world striving for sustainability, every innovation in battery technology brings us closer to that goal. Like Elon Musk says, we need to think beyond the current capabilities to revolutionize energy storage and vehicle electrification. Cheers to those pushing the boundaries! ??? #Innovation #FutureIsElectric
Exciting updates in the #BatteryMarket, thanks for sharing! ?? Julian Renpenning