Inexpensive materials are said to store more energy per unit of mass than current cathode materials.
General Motors Ventures LLC has invested $7 million in Envia Systems get access to what is said to be an advanced lithium-ion cathode technology that delivers a battery with higher cell energy density and lower cost.
In a separate agreement, GM has secured the right to use Envia’s advanced cathode material for future GM electric vehicles and hybrids, GM said in a statement. The new battery technology was originally developed at the Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory with taxpayer funding.
“Skeptics have suggested it would probably be many years before lithium-ion batteries with significantly lower cost and higher capability are available, potentially limiting sales of electric vehicles for the foreseeable future,” said Jon Lauckner, president of GM Ventures.
“In fact, our announcement today demonstrates that major improvements are already on the horizon,” Lauckner said. However he noted that it will be a “few years” before batteries using the new chemistry will be on the road.
Envia, founded in 2007, uses what it calls a high-capacity, manganese rich cathode material that it claims has higher capability and lower cost than the cobalt materials used in current lithium ion batteries. The Envia technology uses inexpensive materials that store more energy per unit of mass than current cathode materials. Since the cathode is central to overall battery cost, the more energy the cathode delivers, the lower the battery cost because fewer cells are needed.
“Our test results on small-format cells show that Envia’s high-capacity composite cathode material can increase the energy density of lithium-ion cells by up to one-third, at an equivalent level of reliability, safety and durability,” said Micky Bly, GM executive director for Electrical and Battery Systems.
“We estimate this improvement in cell energy density and less expensive material will drive a substantial reduction in cell cost, leading to lower cost battery packs like the one in the Chevy Volt,” Bly said.
Other participating investors in Envia are Asahi Kasei and Asahi Glass; as well as current investors Bay Partners, Redpoint and Panagea Ventures. The total funding of the group totaled $17 million.
