The Weekly Potential #8
This week in the energy and materials industries: anode-free cells, long duration iron-air batteries, Mercedes-Benz's recycling plant, Stellantis' electric Dodge, battery costs, electric ships
Welcome to the 8th edition of The Weekly Potential, a newsletter dedicated to providing insights into the energy and materials industries. This week we are diving into Quantumscape’s anode-free cell, Form Energy’s long duration batteries, hybrid batteries from CATL, electric ships and more!
This was a busy week for the battery industry!
Let's dive in! 🔋
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Industry Developments
Quantumscape has initiated a low volume production of its first B-sample solid-state battery cells. These cells, designated as QSE-5, boast an energy density surpassing 800 Wh/L and offer rapid charging capabilities, achieving an 80% charge in under 15 minutes. The company also confirmed that its cells are the first anode-free solid-state lithium-metal cells ever produced for next-generation automotive applications. This development has been well-received in the market, as indicated by a notable surge in QuantumScape's stock value. The company has begun shipping these cells to automotive partners for testing, which is crucial for verifying their performance in real-world applications.
Form Energy, iron-air battery developer, has started expansion works on its first high-volume manufacturing facility, Form Factory 1, in Weirton, West Virginia. This factory, situated on the grounds of what was once a steel mill, focuses on the production of long duration iron-air batteries capable of providing 100 hours of energy storage. These batteries use atmospheric oxygen to oxidize and de-oxidize iron powder housed in a water-based electrolyte. The news comes just days after Form Energy announced the closing of a $400 million series F investment round.
CATL has introduced the Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery, marking a breakthrough in hybrid vehicle technology. This battery, touted as the world's first to offer an electric vehicle-like experience for hybrids, boasts a pure electric range of over 400 kilometers and supports 4C ultra-fast charging, allowing drivers to achieve nearly 280 kilometers of range in just 10 minutes of charging. This innovation aims to significantly enhance the efficiency and convenience of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and extended-range electric vehicles (EREV), potentially reshaping consumer expectations for hybrid vehicles by integrating capabilities previously exclusive to full electric vehicles.
CATL’s Freevoy Super Hybrud Battery. Source: CATL Mercedes-Benz has opened Europe's first integrated battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, Germany. This facility employs a mechanical-hydrometallurgical process that can process black mass, achieving a recycling rate of over 96%, which allows Mercedes-Benz to recover and reuse valuable materials from electric vehicle batteries. Unlike the traditional pyrometallurgical approach, Mercedes says its hydrometallurgical process is less intensive in terms of energy consumption and material waste. The initiative aims to close the loop on battery recycling and reduce the environmental footprint by processing materials in-house for future EV battery production.
Stellantis to incorporate Factorial’s solid state batteries in its electric vehicles. This collaboration aims to introduce the new Dodge Charger Daytona EVs by 2026, equipped with Factorial's high-energy-density batteries, promising longer ranges, faster charging, and enhanced safety over traditional lithium-ion batteries. These batteries offer a specific energy of 390 Wh/kg
Paper of the Week
Nature Energy has published an open access article about the feasibility of battery powered electric ships. The authors model life-cycle costs and GHG emissions from shipping electrification and conclude that retrofitting ships under 1,000 gross tonnage to battery electric vessels could reduce shipping GHG emissions by up to 73%.
They also differentiate by ship size and capacity tier. The capacity tiers—BESp100, BESp99, BESp95 and BESp90—represent the percentage of historical trips by internal combustion vessels that battery ships can serve. The authors conclude that when the capacity tier of the ship decreases, battery size decreases by an average of 67%, 86% and 92%, respectively.
On the Go
Latitude Media talks to James Frith, principal at the battery investment firm Volta Energy Technologies, about Chinese battery costs. He argues that there are multiple factors behind Chinese dominance, such as the know-how to operate plants with high yields, easy access to suppliers, and ability to squeeze margins to near zero. The episode is worth a listen!
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