Thermally Modulated Solid-State Batteries for Ultra-Safe Fast-Charging Electric Vehicles

Default ARPA-E Project Image

Program:
EVs4ALL
Award:
$2,120,120
Location:
Tucson, Arizona
Status:
ACTIVE
Project Term:
09/14/2023 - 09/13/2025
Website:

Technology Description:

Ampcera will develop an all-climate thermally modulated solid-state battery (TMSSB) incorporating a thermally modulated cell technology (TMCT), developed by partner EC Power. “Heatable” solid-state batteries (SSBs) have the potential to provide disruptively high energy density and enable ultra-safe fast charging in EVs during cold weather, overcoming many of the consumer acceptance barriers hindering widespread adoption. Ampcera’s TMSSB combines a high-capacity silicon anode and a high-voltage, nickel-rich oxide-based cathode to enable a specific energy exceeding 400 Wh/kg. Combining the TMCT with a high ion conducting solid-state electrolyte will enable rapid charging at ambient conditions. The TMCT also enables cold startup times of less than one minute at ambient temperatures of -20°C, making the TMSSB advantageous in cold climates.

Potential Impact:

EVs4ALL’s primary objective is to increase the domestic adoption of new and used EVs by enabling safe, resilient, fast-charging batteries with improved performance at low temperatures.

Security:

Solutions will target the use of “noncritical” battery materials, while minimizing the use of cobalt and nickel. A reduced dependence on the importation of critical metals supports U.S. energy independence.

Environment:

80% adoption of EVs in the U.S. could reduce overall CO2 emissions by 800 million tons/year.

Economy:

80% adoption of EVs in the U.S. could reduce annual energy consumption by 4 quadrillion British Thermal Units.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Halle Cheeseman
Project Contact:
Dr. Brown Emery
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
ebrown@ampcera.com

Partners

EC Power Group, Inc.
Ford Motor Company

Related Projects

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• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - Evaluating the Safety of Next-generation Energy Storage Cells
• Project K Energy - Optimizing a Potassium-ion Electrolyte for Revolutionary Automotive Batteries
• Sandia National Laboratories - Framework for Safety Evaluation of EVs4ALL Batteries
• Solid Power - High Energy Fast Charging All-Solid-State Batteries
• South 8 Technologies - Liquefied Gas Electrolytes for Next-Gen EV Batteries
• The Ohio State University - Extreme Fast Charging Batteries with Extended Cycle Life for EVs
• Tyfast Energy - High SYmmetric PowER (HYPER) Battery
• University of Maryland (UMD) - Fast-Charge, High-Energy-Density, Solid-State Battery
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) - Fast-Charging, Wide-Temperature, Low-Cost, Durable Batteries Enabled by Cobalt- and Nickel-Free Cathodes and Cell Engineering
• Zeta Energy - Enabling Fast Charging Batteries with 3D Lithium Metal Architectures and Sulfurized Carbon Cathodes

Release Date:
05/03/2022