Current Cell Chronicles - September 2023

AI-Powered Battery Insights

Discover the latest buzz in the world of batteries with this AI-edited monthly newsletter. From recent research findings to industry news, we've got you covered. Get a snapshot of what's been happening in the battery world over the past month, all presented and edited by Anxer 's AI Battery Assistant.

In September 2023, the battery industry saw remarkable progress, including advancements in technology for higher energy density and faster charging. Manufacturing processes evolved with automation and digitization. Battery durability and materials research gained momentum. Several global gigafactories were announced. Calls were made for more European battery industry investments. Market expansion and significant funding for startups were notable. The industry's vital role in global energy stability and security became increasingly recognized.

- One significant development was the research into multi-electron conversion. This technology relies on the same fundamental battery design as today but dramatically changes the chemical reactions within. This results in much higher energy density as more than one electron is obtained per ion, potentially doubling or tripling the range and output from battery packs.

- Another advancement is the development of fully silicon anodes by companies like Sila Nanotechnologies, Inc. This technology is expected to further enhance the capabilities of lithium-ion batteries, allowing them to achieve a range of 1,000 km or charge in under 20 minutes. This technology is expected to be delivered as soon as 2025.

In September 2023, significant manufacturing advancements occurred.

- Toyota Motor Corporation is pioneering advanced manufacturing with giga casting for efficient shape molding, eliminating conveyors, and enabling cars to move autonomously during assembly. They are also integrating digitization and automation, shifting from traditional to digital manufacturing.

- At The Battery Show North America 2023, discussions focused on battery manufacturing and gigafactory challenges, including managing diverse operations, the scarcity of experienced experts, and startups facing scrappage rates over 30%, affecting profits.

- Additionally, automation solutions are enhancing testing precision and throughput, while more production-line sensors and AI are streamlining gigafactory operations.

- Researchers from Missouri University of Science and Technology and their industry partners demonstrated a new battery charging technology to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) . This technology could significantly speed up the charging process for electric vehicles (EVs), potentially making it more readily available in the future.

- StoreDot has developed a battery that can withstand the stress of high power, enabling fast charging without damaging the battery. This was achieved through a decade-long R&D process involving machine learning and AI-based data science. The company aims to offer a 100-mile range in 5 minutes of charging by 2024, and by 2032, a 100-mile range in just 2 minutes of charging.

Significant advancements were made in the field of battery research.

- A team of researchers, funded by Toyota Research Institute , used machine learning tools developed at MIT to accelerate battery testing and the process of finding the best charging methods. They discovered a process that shortens the lifetimes of fast-charging lithium-ion batteries and worked on ways to prolong battery life.

- Researchers at PNNL also studied different kinds of materials, such as sodium-ion, nickel-iron, or lead-acid, that could be scaled up to provide electricity for longer periods of time for the grid. This is part of the concept known as long-duration energy storage.

- Argonne National Laboratory developed lithium batteries that can be recharged more times than their predecessors and cost less. Their new diagnostic system pinpointed cathode-related failures caused by internal strain during charge and discharge cycles.

- Swedish battery maker Northvolt announced plans to establish a fully integrated lithium-ion battery gigafactory in Quebec, Canada. This will be their first factory outside Europe, with an annual cell manufacturing capacity of 60 GWh and operations starting in 2026. The company raised $1.2 billion from investors including BlackRock and several Canadian pension plans. The company already secured over $55 billion in orders from customers like BMW, Fluence, Scania, Volvo, and Volkswagen.

- 福特 BlueOval City manufacturing campus in Tennessee, includes a fully integrated battery manufacturing 'gigafactory'. This facility is operated in partnership with battery developer SK On and is part of the numerous battery gigafactories planned for or already under construction in North America.

- In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the establishment of a Volkswagen electric vehicle battery plant in St. Thomas, Ontario. The plant is set to receive billions in federal and provincial funding.

- A group of 16 companies and organisations, including Rio Tinto, Solvay, Umicore, and Northvolt, wrote a letter to the European Commission President expressing concern that the EU's current plans and funds were insufficient for the necessary investments in battery industry for electric vehicles and renewable power storage. They called for a European Critical Minerals Fund and expansion of the commission's innovation fund.

- Taiwanese battery maker ProLogium Technology 輝能科技 announced a significant investment of 5.2 billion euros to build a gigafactory in Dunkirk, France. This move was part of a larger trend of Asian companies investing in Europe as the continent stepped up efforts to attract EV investment.

- VINFAST , a Vietnamese automaker, revealed plans to expand into seven new Asia-Pacific countries. The company intends to invest an initial US$200m in an EV assembly plant with a capacity of up to 50,000 units per year. The plant will be VinFast's third, following its main production hub in Haiphong, Northern Vietnam, and a second plant scheduled to open in 2025 in North Carolina.

- Toyota announced that will invest an additional 1 trillion yen (around 6.4 billion euros) in new EV models and production by the end of 2030. They also stated that they have shifted over half of their R&D staff and expenses to Advanced Development fields.

- French battery maker Verkor announced that it had secured more than €2 billion (around $2.1 billion) in funding to build its Dunkirk gigafactory. The factory is set to be operational by 2025, with an initial production capacity of 16 GWh/year. The funding includes a significant $900 million from its Series C financing round. This announcement was notable due to the substantial amount of funding Verkor received, amidst a surge of venture capital into battery startups.

- Redwood Materials , a battery technology company, announced a series D round of equity funding led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Capricorn's Technology Impact Fund, and other unnamed funds advised by T. Rowe Price Associates. This funding round brought Redwood's total capital raised to nearly $2 billion.

In your opinion, what are the most important news?

AI Battery Assistant's answer:

In September 2023, the most influential development in the world of batteries was the increasing recognition of their role in global energy sovereignty. As the world shifts towards a more sustainable, electrified future, batteries have become more important than ever. This has led to a race to secure the stability and security of battery manufacturing, with a focus on the extraction of raw materials, advanced battery software, and recycling. The dynamics of global policies, supply, and innovation are set to significantly impact the battery industry in the coming decades.

Disclaimer:

All the news presented in this report are provided without any alterations, edits, or fact-checking, directly generated by the AI, with the intention of informing the public about the capabilities and limitations of these tools.

This report is not affiliated with or sponsored by any company or organization mentioned within.

For any inquiries or related matters, please feel free to contact:

[email protected]