An Israeli start-up company, StoreDot, developed a new type of battery technology that could potentially revolutionise the EV industry. A new type of lithium-ion battery was developed by the company to be charged in just five minutes at a significantly faster rate than the current charging times for most EV batteries.
A small, fast-charging battery pack was developed by the company for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The battery packs are designed to be compact and lightweight, making them easy to carry around in a bag or pocket.
The technology used by StoreDot is based on nanotechnology and uses organic compounds called peptides to create self-assembling nanodots for storing and releasing energy quickly. The nanodots are integrated into a variety of devices, such as batteries, screens, and sensors.
The major obstacle is the initial cost of such fast-charging battery packs, which is higher than traditional battery packs, but the main benefit is saving time to charge the device. The technology is also not limited to the automotive industry; it can be used in electric aviation and energy storage.
The silicon-dominant batteries by StoreDot are designed to be cheaper, lighter, and more sustainable. The new battery-type technology uses silicon instead of graphite as the dominant material in the anode of the battery.
The major advantage of using silicon in place of graphite is its capability of storing more energy in the same amount of space, which allows for smaller and lighter batteries than traditional batteries. The batteries are expected to be cheaper and more sustainable due to the abundant and inexpensive availability of silicon rather than cobalt and nickel.
The several company tie-ups for StoreDot to develop and commercialise battery technology are:
- BP: StoreDot signed a strategic partnership agreement with BP in 2020 for developing and deploying electric vehicle charging stations. The partnership aims to reduce charging times and improve the overall customer experience.
- Eve Energy will form a partnership with a Chinese battery manufacturer in 2021 for the purpose of developing and commercialising its silicon-dominant battery technology for electric vehicles.
- Daimler: A partnership was announced in 2018 with Daimler for developing fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles. The companies worked together to develop a prototype that can charge the vehicle in just five minutes.
- Samsung SDI: A signed strategic agreement in 2019 for developing and manufacturing fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles The companies collaborated on developing the technology.
Source: insideevs