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General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and OneD Battery Sciences * said today they have started a joint research development agreement focused on the potential use of OneD’s silicon nanotechnology in GM’s Ultium battery cells.
The goal is to increase energy density and reduce cost of future GM EV batteries. GM Ventures and Volta Energy Technologies also participated in OneD’s Series C funding round, which the company recently closed at $25 million.
The agreement involves OneD’s SINANODE** platform, which adds more silicon onto the anode battery cells by fusing silicon nanowires into EV-grade graphite. Silicon can store 10 times more energy than graphite. Increasing energy density enable smaller, lighter, more efficient battery packs that could achieve higher driving range at lower cost.
The collaboration on silicon anode technology is thought to be the first of its kind between two American companies, GM said. GM is increasing the use of its Ultium EV Platform to reach 1 million units of annual EV manufacturing capacity in North America by 2025. Earlier this year, GM’s first Ultium Cells joint venture battery plant began production in Ohio, with two additional U.S. plants under construction and a fourth also planned.
“GM designed Ultium to be a supremely flexible platform so we can continuously improve our cells as battery technology advances,” said Kent Helfrich, GM chief technology officer, vice president of GM research and development, and president of GM Ventures. “Our collaboration with OneD will focus on efforts to continue advancements in EV range, performance and cost.”
GM also is combining a decade of advanced battery research and development with its new Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan, which was completed earlier this year. It’s goal too is to help ramp up development and production of next-generation Ultium batteries, along with production methods that can quickly be deployed at battery cell manufacturing plants.
“From day one, OneD has aimed to simplify silicon as the means to a completely new era of EVs. We believe that the winners of the EV race will be those who can effectively add more silicon to the battery cell, in a way that doesn’t disrupt existing supply chains and processes,” said Vincent Pluvinage, CEO, OneD Battery Sciences.
Fifteen years of OneD research and development has resulted in more than 240 granted patents. OneD says that the plan is to center on licensing the SINANODE technology to industrial partners and scale manufacturing faster and at a lower cost. Given a licensing business model and low operational costs, Series C funds will be used to continue SINANODE research and development, while advancing pilot production and providing OEMs and battery manufacturers a seamless integration into the manufacturing of EV batteries via licensed manufacturing partners.
*About OneD Battery Sciences
OneD Battery Sciences is the creator of SINANODE, a technology that successfully adds more energy-dense silicon into the anodes of EV batteries. The company operates a SINANODE pilot production program to support the development of advanced electrochemical cells and the production scale-up of its industrial partners. In 2013, OneD Battery Sciences acquired Nanosys’ nanowire technologies (SINANODE) and its Palo Alto R&D activities. Today, the Palo Alto-based company has over 240 granted patents and applications in large scale anode production and innovative EV battery designs.
** SINANODE (sin’ · an · node) SI for silicon, Nano scale, ANODE
GM, OneD form Battery R&D Deal as EV Gold Rush Continues
Click to Enlarge.
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) and OneD Battery Sciences * said today they have started a joint research development agreement focused on the potential use of OneD’s silicon nanotechnology in GM’s Ultium battery cells.
The goal is to increase energy density and reduce cost of future GM EV batteries. GM Ventures and Volta Energy Technologies also participated in OneD’s Series C funding round, which the company recently closed at $25 million.
The agreement involves OneD’s SINANODE** platform, which adds more silicon onto the anode battery cells by fusing silicon nanowires into EV-grade graphite. Silicon can store 10 times more energy than graphite. Increasing energy density enable smaller, lighter, more efficient battery packs that could achieve higher driving range at lower cost.
The collaboration on silicon anode technology is thought to be the first of its kind between two American companies, GM said. GM is increasing the use of its Ultium EV Platform to reach 1 million units of annual EV manufacturing capacity in North America by 2025. Earlier this year, GM’s first Ultium Cells joint venture battery plant began production in Ohio, with two additional U.S. plants under construction and a fourth also planned.
“GM designed Ultium to be a supremely flexible platform so we can continuously improve our cells as battery technology advances,” said Kent Helfrich, GM chief technology officer, vice president of GM research and development, and president of GM Ventures. “Our collaboration with OneD will focus on efforts to continue advancements in EV range, performance and cost.”
GM also is combining a decade of advanced battery research and development with its new Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan, which was completed earlier this year. It’s goal too is to help ramp up development and production of next-generation Ultium batteries, along with production methods that can quickly be deployed at battery cell manufacturing plants.
“From day one, OneD has aimed to simplify silicon as the means to a completely new era of EVs. We believe that the winners of the EV race will be those who can effectively add more silicon to the battery cell, in a way that doesn’t disrupt existing supply chains and processes,” said Vincent Pluvinage, CEO, OneD Battery Sciences.
Fifteen years of OneD research and development has resulted in more than 240 granted patents. OneD says that the plan is to center on licensing the SINANODE technology to industrial partners and scale manufacturing faster and at a lower cost. Given a licensing business model and low operational costs, Series C funds will be used to continue SINANODE research and development, while advancing pilot production and providing OEMs and battery manufacturers a seamless integration into the manufacturing of EV batteries via licensed manufacturing partners.
*About OneD Battery Sciences
OneD Battery Sciences is the creator of SINANODE, a technology that successfully adds more energy-dense silicon into the anodes of EV batteries. The company operates a SINANODE pilot production program to support the development of advanced electrochemical cells and the production scale-up of its industrial partners. In 2013, OneD Battery Sciences acquired Nanosys’ nanowire technologies (SINANODE) and its Palo Alto R&D activities. Today, the Palo Alto-based company has over 240 granted patents and applications in large scale anode production and innovative EV battery designs.
** SINANODE (sin’ · an · node) SI for silicon, Nano scale, ANODE