Factorial presents 40 Ah solid-state battery cells with dry cathodes
Factorial Energy is a US specialist for solid-state battery cells supported by Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai-Kia. The company is pursuing several lines of development. In June, Factorial delivered B samples of its solid-state cells with a charging capacity of more than 106 Ah to Mercedes-Benz. These are said to have an energy density of 391 Wh/kg, although the developer has not specified whether this is at the cell or system level.
At the same time, the company is working with Mercedes on cells with the brand name Solstice, which so far only have A-sample status but are expected to score with an even higher energy density and a dry cathode coating process. In September, Factorial promised an energy density of up to 450Wh/kg for its Solstice product (again, no specification of cell or pack level) and, thus, an increased range of up to 80 per cent for electric cars. The company is now announcing the next step by bringing this cell type to a charging capacity of 40 Ah.
“Breakthrough solid-state battery performance is only relevant if it can be scaled to a size that is viable for commercial use,” said Factorial Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Siyu Huang. “This achievement underscores our team’s technical leadership and unmatched expertise in bringing innovative battery technologies to the high standards of the automotive sector. At 40Ah capacity, our all-solid-state Solstice cells demonstrate the technical maturity, process validation, and scalability required for commercial applications.”
Factorial Energy is one of the most promising developers of solid-state battery cells. In October 2023, the company opened its first development and production facility near Boston. With a capacity of 200 MWh, it is said to be the largest production line for solid-state batteries in the USA to date. A major contributor to funds to build the factory came from a 200 million US dollar financing round concluded at the beginning of 2022, which Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz led at the time.
There are undisclosed development agreements with these two car manufacturers and Hyundai-Kia, while Mercedes has recently been highlighted several times as a “development partner and key customer”. Factorial has long relied on its “FEST” technology (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) with lithium metal anode and polymer separator for its cells, which, according to the company, can be produced on existing lithium-ion battery production systems. Factorial says its Solstice battery cell is intended to complement this platform with a sulphide-based solid electrolyte and the aforementioned dry process.
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