Electric vehicle drivers and smartphone power users are excited about silicon anode batteries, which are expected to significantly increase energy density and reduce charging times.
Numerous companies have been developing silicon anodes for over a decade, and the technology is increasingly appearing in consumer electronics. For instance, wearable maker Whoop utilizes materials from Sila, and Group14’s batteries are used in various smartphones.
However, the primary target market is the EV sector, which is much larger than consumer electronics, according to Benchmark Minerals. To enter this market, startups need to significantly increase the production of silicon anode material.
To achieve this scale, Group14 announced that it has begun production at its BAM-3 factory in South Korea, which can produce up to 2,000 metric tons of silicon battery materials annually. This is enough for 10 gigawatt-hours of energy storage, or approximately 100,000 long-range EVs.
“It’s a big deal for us, and I think it’s a big deal for the industry, too,” said Rick Luebbe, co-founder and CEO of Group14.
The BAM-3 facility was initially a joint venture between Group14 and SK, a Korean battery manufacturer. SK owned 75% of the project but sold its stake to Group14 last summer.
“SK has had their own challenges — financial and reprioritizing their battery and battery materials strategies all at the same time,” Luebbe said. “It did open up a great opportunity for us to acquire it from SK.”
The startup is collaborating with several companies, including Porsche’s battery division Cellforce Group, StoreDot, Molicel, and Sionic. Porsche has also invested in Group14 through its venture arm.
Modern batteries commonly use carbon as the anode material. While it performs adequately, scientists have known that silicon, which can store up to 10 times more lithium ions, would be superior for energy storage if its durability issues could be resolved. Pure silicon anodes tend to swell and crumble quickly, making them unsuitable for repeated charging cycles over several years.
Group14’s solution is a hard carbon scaffold that holds tiny silicon particles in place, preventing the anode from swelling or crumbling. This scaffold is filled with nanoscale holes allowing lithium ions and electrons to pass through. It also enables the anode to charge quickly without degrading.
Some of Group14’s customers, like Sionic, are using silicon anodes to increase energy density by up to 50%. Others, such as Molicel, are focusing on exploiting silicon’s fast-charging capabilities, including a design that can fully charge a battery in just 90 seconds.
Such implementation of silicon anodes could transform the EV market. Chinese EV maker BYD is already working toward this capability, recently unveiling a new battery pack that can “flash” charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes. (Luebbe believes BYD is using silicon-carbon in its new battery. “It has to be,” he said.)
If charging networks can support these EVs, range anxiety would no longer be a concern. Currently, automakers aim to offer 300 to 400 miles of range to address consumers’ worries, but achieving these figures requires large batteries that add cost and weight. Flash charging providing significant range in seconds could allow carmakers to reduce battery pack size, cutting costs and weight.
“I have a Rivian with a 130 kilowatt-hour battery in it, which is extremely expensive,” Luebbe said. With flash charging, concepts like inductive charging at stoplights — which might seem far-fetched today — could become more practical, he noted. “You’d never think about charging ever again.”