Collaboration focuses on increasing energy density and cost
reduction in future GM EV batteries
GM Ventures participates in OneD's Series C $25 million funding round
PALO
ALTO, Calif., and DETROIT, Sept. 29,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM)
and OneD Battery Sciences announced today the execution of a
joint research development agreement focused on the potential use
of OneD's silicon nanotechnology in GM's Ultium battery cells to
drive significant increases in energy density for longer range and
reduced cost. GM Ventures and Volta Energy Technologies also
participated in OneD's Series C funding round, which the company
recently closed at $25 million.
The focus of the collaboration is OneD's SINANODE platform,
which adds more silicon onto the anode battery cells by fusing
silicon nanowires into EV-grade graphite. Silicon can store 10
times more energy than graphite. Increasing energy density can open
the door to smaller, lighter, more efficient battery packs that
could achieve higher driving range at lower cost.
"GM designed Ultium to be a supremely flexible platform so we
can continuously improve our cells as battery technology advances,"
said Kent Helfrich, GM chief
technology officer, vice president of GM research and development,
and president of GM Ventures. "Our collaboration with OneD will
focus on efforts to continue advancements in EV range, performance
and cost."
The collaboration on silicon anode technology is believed to be
the first of its kind between two American companies. GM is rapidly
scaling its Ultium EV Platform to reach 1 million units of annual
EV manufacturing capacity in North
America by 2025. Earlier this year, GM's first Ultium Cells
joint venture battery plant began production in Ohio, with two additional U.S. plants under
construction and a fourth also planned.
At the same time, GM is building on more than a decade of
advanced battery research and development with its new Wallace
Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren,
Michigan, which was completed earlier this year to help
significantly ramp up development and production of next-generation
Ultium batteries, along with production methods that can quickly be
deployed at battery cell manufacturing plants.
Fifteen years of OneD research and development has led to a
portfolio of more than 240 granted patents. This enables OneD's
business model to center on licensing the SINANODE technology to
industrial partners and scale manufacturing faster and at a lower
cost. Given a licensing business model and low operational costs,
Series C funds will be used to continue SINANODE research and
development, while advancing pilot production and providing OEMs
and battery manufacturers a seamless integration into the
manufacturing of EV batteries via licensed manufacturing
partners.
"From day one, OneD has aimed to simplify silicon as the means
to a completely new era of EVs. We believe that the winners of the
EV race will be those who can effectively add more silicon to the
battery cell, in a way that doesn't disrupt existing supply chains
and processes," said Vincent
Pluvinage, CEO, OneD Battery Sciences. "We're thrilled to
collaborate with General Motors on our shared goal of accelerating
mass EV adoption."
About OneD Battery
Sciences
OneD Battery Sciences is the creator of SINANODE, the
breakthrough technology that successfully adds more energy-dense
silicon into the anodes of EV batteries. The company operates a
SINANODE pilot production program to support the development of
advanced electrochemical cells and the production scale-up of its
industrial partners. In 2013, OneD Battery Sciences acquired
Nanosys' nanowire technologies (SINANODE) and its Palo Alto R&D
activities. Today, the Palo
Alto-based company has over 240 granted patents and
applications in large scale anode production and innovative EV
battery designs.
About General Motors
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused
on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and
accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium
battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to
high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its
joint venture entities sell vehicles under
the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands.
More information on the company and its subsidiaries,
including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and
security services, can be found
at https://www.gm.com.
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SOURCE General Motors Co.