BatteryTech News & Updates – 2024 #4

?? ProLogium Opens The First Giga-Level Solid-State Lithium Battery Factory

ProLogium Technology has opened a solid-state lithium ceramic battery facility in Taoyuan, Taiwan. This is the first of its kind on a gigascale worldwide. The opening event was attended by strategic partners including Mercedes-Benz, POSCO, FEV, Arkema, and banks from Taiwan and France, along with government officials from both Taiwan and France. The establishment of the factory is anticipated to create about 1,200 jobs, highlighting the economic potential and employment opportunities associated with innovative technological advancements.

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?? Iveco Group Chooses BASF as First Recycling Partner for Electric Vehicle Batteries

Iveco Group has selected BASF as its first partner for recycling lithium-ion batteries from its electric vehicles. This decision is part of Iveco Group's circular economy strategy, which adheres to the 4R Framework—Repair, Refurbish, Repurpose, and Recycling—to extend battery lifetimes and minimize environmental impacts. BASF will oversee the complete recycling process, including collection, packaging, transport, and recycling. This will be operational in various European countries, including France, Germany, and the UK.

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?? LANXESS and IBU?tec Optimizing Iron Oxides for LFP Battery Material

LANXESS, a specialty chemicals company, and IBU-tec, a battery materials manufacturer, have formed a research collaboration to develop innovative iron oxides for LFP battery cathodes. The goal is to improve the electrochemical properties of LFP batteries, including energy density, charging speed, and the number of charging cycles. This development aims to establish a robust, independent value chain for LFP batteries in Europe. Based in Weimar, Germany, it's the only European manufacturer of LFP cathode material.

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?? IBC Advanced Technologies Creates Subsidiary - GreenLiT Pure Lithium - to Meet Future Lithium Demand

GreenLiT Pure Lithium, Inc. is a new subsidiary of IBC Advanced Technologies, Inc. (IBC), focusing on the commercialization of the Direct Lithium to Product (DLPTM) process. The DLP process is unique in its ability to produce battery-grade lithium directly from brine with minimal environmental impact. It significantly reduces water consumption and energy usage. This process allows for the direct extraction of over 99% lithium from brine, resulting in battery-grade lithium hydroxide monohydrate with extremely few impurities, without the need to first make lithium carbonate.

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?? Stellantis Unveils BEV-native STLA Large Platform with 800 Km / 500 Mile Range

Stellantis revealed the STLA Large, an advanced and flexible BEV-native platform, targeting a broad spectrum of vehicles globally in the D and E segments. The platform features segment-leading capabilities such as 118 kWh embedded energy, 4.5 kWh per minute charging efficiency, and acceleration of 0-100 km/h in about 2 seconds. It supports both 400-volt and 800-volt BEV architectures, making it highly adaptable across various car types, including cars, crossovers, and SUVs. From 2024 to 2026, Stellantis plans to launch eight vehicles under five different brands, starting with Dodge and Jeep and moving on to Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, and Maserati.

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?? LG Energy Solution Acquires Stake in Sion Power

Through a $75 million Series A financing round, LG Energy Solution (LGES) invested in Sion Power. The exact share and investment of LGES are unknown. Another significant investor in this round include mathematician Jim Simons' Euclidean Capital, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt's Hillspire LLC. With the investment, Sion Power will accelerate the technical and market validation of its Licerion lithium metal cells. It also wants to build a fully automated production line for high-quality, large-format cells for vehicle OEMs and cell makers to test and market.

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?? VARTA Expands its Research Capacities with New Facility in Graz

VARTA AG is expanding its research capacities with a new facility in Graz, Austria, marking the creation of one of Europe's most advanced battery technology research centers. The facility, covering around 3,500 square meters, is nearing completion and will start full operation in the second quarter of 2024. The facility will focus on advancements in post-lithium technologies, such as decentralized energy storage using materials like sodium, and enhancing lithium-ion technology.

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??China and Thailand discover new lithium deposits

New lithium deposits have been discovered in Asia, particularly in China's Sichuan province and Thailand's Phang-Nga province. The massive lithium deposit in Yajiang, China, has the potential to contain almost one million metric tons of lithium. This deposit is significant for China's export products, such as new-energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar panels. The discovery places China and Thailand in the context of other major lithium producers like Bolivia (21 million metric tons) and Argentina (20 million metric tons).

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?? Redwood Materials breaks ground on new battery factory

Redwood Materials, initiated by JB Straubel, former Tesla CTO, has started building its 'Battery Materials Campus' in South Carolina. The company expects to produce 100 GWh of battery materials per year at this new facility, with potential future expansion to several hundred GWh annually. The project involves an investment of approximately $3.5 billion and will create over 1,500 jobs. The facility will focus on recycling anode and cathode components and processing them into new battery materials.

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?? E3 Lithium Discovers Lithium Concentrations as high as 87 mg/L in the Nisku Aquifer

E3 Lithium Ltd. found high lithium concentrations, up to 87 mg/L, in the Nisku Aquifer during a six-well sampling program in the Clearwater Project Area. Based in Alberta, E3 Lithium is focused on producing lithium products, specifically through the development of the Clearwater Project, leveraging the established oil industry infrastructure. This discovery has the potential to boost lithium production and contribute to the company's already considerable lithium resource base.

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