US Govt Research Subsidies of Millions Given To Significant Solid-State EV battery Makers

12 promising initiatives will get funding totaling $42 million from the US Department of Energy's EVs4ALL program, which is run by the Advanced Research Projects Agency. Four of those funds will support the development of solid-state batteries by US businesses or academic organizations. Four solid-state battery initiatives will receive government support in total, accounting for one-third of the 12-project package that the Energy Department will fund with the $42 million grant. The remaining topics vary from sodium and potassium battery technology to simulations that anticipate failure rates: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado will evaluate the information and factors that indicate the dangers of next-generation cells. In order to reduce the risk associated with the use of next-generation cells for commercial applications, the project will develop an understanding of failure processes, reaction routes, failure modes, and impacts. It will also provide new capabilities and tools and revise testing standards. Photo Credit: Full Circle The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) will scale up its high-power battery prototype technology, which can withstand rapid charging while exhibiting longevity much beyond the most cutting-edge Li-ion cells at the moment. ($3,876,363 in awards) A potassium-ion battery that functions similarly to Li-ion batteries is being developed and commercialized by Project K in Palo Alto, California. Because of its essential characteristics, the potassium-ion system can operate at lower temperatures and charge significantly more quickly than lithium-ion batteries. ($2,587,618 in awards) Also Read: World's Second Oldest Car Lineup Is Tesla's EV Offering To assess the safety of innovative battery materials and cells at an early stage, Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) will create a revolutionary predictive simulation/modeling and testing system. ($3,700,000 in awards) To enable high-energy and quick-charging EV battery cells, Solid Power Operating (Thornton, CO) will create a 3D-structured Li metal anode and new sulfur (S) composite cathode. ($5,600,000 in awards). Photo Credit: Car And Driver A novel anode with a high Li content that is also easily accessible and rechargeable will be developed by Zeta Energy (Houston, TX). The cathode and anode's complementing physical and chemical properties will promote transformational high charge rates, long-term stability, and minimal performance losses at low temperatures. $4,000,000 has been awarded. The largest donation here goes to Solid Power, which just received $20 million from its partner BMW for licensing the cell design and electrode manufacture. Solid Power will still receive a separate delivery of their unique solid-state sulfide electrolyte, which is still its intellectual property. Specifically, the increase in solid-state electrolyte manufacturing may require the $5.6 million in federal funds that the Energy Department is now awarding to Solid Power. The University of Michigan's breakthrough solid-state battery study employing ceramic ions received $11 million in prior funding from the US Department of Energy. It appears that the US government is willing to provide American companies with the funding necessary to catch up to the Chinese battery juggernauts that are already at the stage of commercializing such nascent battery technologies. Photo Credit: Dynatrace This is in addition to the current round of federal battery technology bets skewed towards solid-state battery research and development.