Silicon anode batteries are the holy grail of electric mobility. They promise to double the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries, enabling longer range, faster charging, and lower cost for electric vehicles. However, silicon anode batteries have been plagued by technical challenges, such as volume expansion, low cycle life, and poor power performance. Until now.
Amprius Technologies, a California-based company specializing in silicon anode battery technology, has unveiled a new cell that claims to overcome these limitations. The cell delivers an unprecedented energy density of 400 Wh/kg and a high discharge rate of 10C, meaning it can release 10 times its capacity in one hour. The cell also boasts a long cycle life of over 1000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge.
How did Amprius achieve this breakthrough? The company says it has developed a proprietary silicon nanowire anode that can accommodate the large volume change of silicon during charging and discharging without cracking or losing contact with the current collector. The nanowire structure also increases the surface area and reduces the diffusion length of lithium ions, enhancing the power performance of the cell.
Amprius says its new cell is suitable for applications that require high energy and high power, such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and high-performance electric vehicles. The company claims that its cell can provide enough oomph for vertical take-offs and neck-snapping acceleration. For example, Amprius says its cell can power motors that can accelerate an EV from 0 to 60 mph in 1.5 seconds, faster than the Tesla Model S Plaid.
Amprius is not the only company working on silicon anode batteries. Several other players, such as Tesla, CATL, Panasonic, and Samsung SDI, have also announced their plans to introduce silicon anode batteries in the near future. However, Amprius claims to have a significant lead over its competitors in terms of energy density and power density.
Amprius has been supplying its silicon anode batteries to various customers since 2013, including Airbus Defence and Space, Lockheed Martin, and Zephyr Airworks. The company says it has delivered over 30,000 cells with a cumulative flight time of over 25,000 hours. Amprius is also planning to build a gigawatt-hour scale factory in Colorado by 2025 to meet the growing battery demand.
Amprius’ new cell is a game-changer for the electric mobility industry. It demonstrates that silicon anode batteries are feasible and superior to conventional lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy and power density. With Amprius’ technology, electric vehicles can achieve longer range, faster charging, and lower cost, making them more attractive and competitive than ever before.