Fast-charge battery developer StoreDot has released the first production batch of its sample lithium-ion cells produced in China by its strategic partner EVE Energy.
The milestone is the first time the company has demonstrated the commercial viability of its five-minute charge XFC batteries via small form-factor 1Ah cells.
XFC batteries are designed to be manufactured on existing lithium-ion production lines at EVE Energy, with testing at cell level done in-house and at the pack level by pack manufacturers.
The firm hopes the engineering samples demonstrate to electric vehicle OEMs and battery manufacturers the successful replacement of graphite in the cell’s anode using metalloid nano-particles as a means of overcoming issues of safety, battery cycle life and swelling.
A Storedot spokesman told BEST: “We use proprietary synthesised materials that are added to the electrodes and the electrolyte. Gen1, which was released, is based on Germanium nano particles and the Gen2 (later this year) is based on Silicon nano particles.”
The company says it aims to launch its second-generation, silicon-dominant anode prototype battery later this year, integrate the Gen2 cells into vehicles by 2022, begin mass production by the end of 2023 and have the batteries in cars in volume by 2025.
Dr. Doron Myersdorf, CEO of StoreDot, said: “Our announcement marks an important milestone, moving XFC for the first time beyond innovation in the laboratory to a commercially-viable product that is scalable for mass production.”
In November 2019, Storedot demonstrated a full charge of an electric two-wheeler in five minutes and 24 seconds.
Myersdorf said: “We founded StoreDot to achieve what many said could never be done— develop batteries capable of delivering a full charge in just five minutes. We have shown that this level of XFC charging is possible, first in 2019 with an electric scooter and again six months ago with a commercial drone.
“We are proud to make these samples available, but today’s milestone is just the beginning. We’re on the cusp of achieving a revolution in the EV charging experience that will remove the critical barrier to mass adoption of EVs.”
In 2020, the company demonstrated the scalability of its XFC batteries for other industries, by fully charging a commercial drone in five minutes.
