QuantumScape Begins Customer Shipments of Alpha-2 Prototypes, a Key Goal for 2024
March 27 2024 - 5:45AM
Business Wire
QuantumScape Corporation (NYSE: QS), a leader in next-generation
solid-state lithium-metal battery technology, today announced it
started customer shipments of Alpha-2 prototype battery cells,
fulfilling a goal for 2024.
Alpha-2 prototypes are a significant milestone on the roadmap to
deliver QSE-5, QuantumScape’s first planned commercial product.
QuantumScape entered the automotive qualification process in
December 2022 after shipping A0 prototypes to customers. Alpha-2
prototypes integrate many of the company’s significant component
improvements made over the last year. The six-layer Alpha-2
prototype is more energy-dense than the earlier 24-layer A0
prototype. This is primarily due to higher-loading cathodes (i.e.,
packed with more active material) and more efficient packaging that
optimizes the materials and space within the cell. The packaging
improvements include tighter internal margins, thinner current
collectors, and a slimmer design, all of which are integral to the
final product.
As an intermediate step between the A0 and the QSE-5 B0
prototypes planned for later this year, Alpha-2 cells feature the
main functionality of the QSE-5 and are an opportunity for
customers to test key performance parameters and prototype-level
reliability. While Alpha-2 prototypes are being tested in customer
labs, QuantumScape is working to integrate those component-level
improvements into the planned QSE-5 cells, which will consist of 24
layers and use electrolyte-separators produced using the faster
Raptor equipment and process.
“The Alpha-2 shipments represent an important milestone on our
path to commercialization,” said Dr. Siva Sivaram, president and
CEO of QuantumScape. “Customer feedback is the most critical input
in the product development cycle as it provides insight into areas
that need improvement and strengthens collaboration. The faster we
can get new product iterations into customers’ hands, the faster we
get to production. We are very encouraged by the initial Alpha-2
performance results and excited about the first QSE-5 cells we
expect to manufacture later this year.”
“The improvements in energy and power densities demonstrated by
the Alpha-2 prototypes indicate that QSE-5 can push the boundaries
of solid-state battery performance,” said Tim Holme, co-founder and
CTO of QuantumScape. “We continue to advance our anode-free,
solid-state battery in performance and maturity with methodical
execution on our milestones.”
The company will continue to build and ship Alpha-2 prototypes
to automotive customers over the coming months while focusing on
reliability improvements and ramping up production. QuantumScape’s
remaining key goals for 2024 include ramping up the Raptor
production process, beginning low-volume QSE-5 prototype
production, and preparing for high-volume production of its
solid-state electrolyte-separator using the Cobra equipment and
process, which is set to begin in 2025.
About QuantumScape Corporation
QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with
solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s
next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy
density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the
transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon
future. For more information, visit www.quantumscape.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information in this press release may be considered
“forward-looking statements,” within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without
limitation, statements regarding the company’s plans and objectives
for future operations and production ramping up, the prospects and
timing of cell sample manufacturing and shipment, the testing
results of cell samples, among others. These forward-looking
statements are based on management’s current expectations,
assumptions, hopes, beliefs, intentions and strategies regarding
future events and are based on currently available information as
to the outcome and timing of future events. Because forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some
of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely
upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events.
The events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking
statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could
differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements, including due to challenges related to the management
transition, the building out of high volume processes, and the
achievement of the quality, consistency, reliability, safety, cost
and throughput required for commercial production and sale, changes
in economic and financial conditions and due to other factors
discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report
and Quarterly Reports and other documents filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission from time to time. Except as otherwise
required by applicable law, the company disclaims any duty to
update any forward-looking statements.
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