RANGE Highlights

ARPA-E awardee Enzinc raised $4.5 million in seed funding for their zinc microsponge EV battery anode in a round led by Portland-based 3x5 Partners in July of 2022.

ARPA-E Principal Investigators Dr. Wei Chen, Dr. Ayman El-Refaie, Dr. Fang Zheng Peng, Dr. Eric D. Wachsman, and Dr. Joseph Wang were recently announced as National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows. NAI recognizes academic inventors who demonstrate a prolific spirit of innovation and whose inventions make a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and societal welfare. Learn more about the Principal Investigators’ (PIs) ARPA-E projects below👇

Ion Storage Systems (ION) recently raised more than $30 million in its Series A funding round for their novel approach to solid-state batteries. The funding round included several investors, including Toyota Ventures. Their recently announced investment will enable ION to establish a battery cell manufacturing line for their next-generation solid-state batteries. Funds raised in the Series A round will also drive the company’s current development projects forward in the consumer electronics, automotive, and stationary storage markets.

As Dr. Atkinson’s term as an ARPA-E Program Director comes to a close, we sat down with him to reflect on his ARPA-E experience, the NEXTCAR program and the future of powertrain technologies, and what’s next for him.

Every year, convention centers around the world fill with eager attendees looking for a chance to experience firsthand the latest and greatest in the world of automobile innovation. Whether you’re a classic gearhead or technology enthusiast, the auto manufacturers’ annual showcase season is truly a sight to behold. To celebrate car show season, here’s a quick look at some of ARPA-E’s transportation portfolio and a few projects that could one day shape how Americans get around. 

NOVEL STRUCTURE FOR SOLID STATE LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES UPDATED: January 14, 2018PROJECT TITLE: Safe, Low Cost, High Energy Density, Solid State Li-Ion BatteriesPROGRAM: Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Systems (RANGE)AWARD: $4,683,452PROJECT TEAM: University of Maryland, University of Calgary, Ion Storage Systems, TransTechPROJECT TERM: January 2014 – January 2020

SAFE, IMPACT-ABSORBING BATTERIES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES UPDATED: January 15, 2018PROJECT TITLE: Developing Low-Cost, Robust, and Multifunctional Battery System for Electric Vehicles: A Non-Chemical Approach PROGRAM: Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Systems (RANGE)AWARD: $3,498,061PROJECT TEAM: University of California, San Diego (lead), American Lithium Energy, University of California-Merced, Columbia University 

STRUCTURALLY INTEGRATED BATTERIES UPDATED: December 5, 2017PROJECT TITLE: Robust Multifunctional Battery Chassis Systems for Automotive ApplicationsPROGRAM: Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Systems (RANGE)AWARD: $2,744,657PROJECT TEAM: Stanford University (lead); Farasis Energy, Inc.PROJECT TERM: February 2014 - September 2017PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (PI): Fu-Kuo Chang

NOVEL PACKAGING ARCHITECTURE FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES UPDATED: January 19, 2018 PROJECT TITLE: Novel Low Cost and Safe Lithium-Ion Electric Vehicle BatteryPROGRAM: Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Systems (RANGE)AWARD: $3,995,980PROJECT TEAM: Cadenza Innovation, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Morgan Advanced Materials, Karotech Inc., Alcoa, National Renewal Energy Laboratory (NREL), Magna Styer, MGA Research Corp, AVL 

ABSTRACT: A variety of inherently robust energy storage technologies hold the promise to increase the range and decrease the cost of electric vehicles (EVs). These technologies help diversify approaches to EV energy storage, complementing current focus on high specific energy lithium-ion batteries.