Echion take part in prestigious industry conference in Washington, DC
“Fast charging essential to reducing battery pack size” says CEO of Cambridge-based battery materials producer at Gigafactories USA 2022
“Being able to do more with less is essential for the battery industry as pressure grows on the supply of key minerals” said Echion Technologies Ltd CEO, Jean de la Verpillière, during a panel discussion on Assembling Anodes hosted at Benchmark Minerals Gigafactories USA 2022, held in Washington on 23 – 24 June.
Electric vehicles are currently manufactured with large and heavy battery packs, which are designed to provide power for a long time on a single slow charge. De La Verpilliere countered: “If you can fast charge a battery, say under 6 min, then you can charge more often and reduce the need for the large battery pack. This will make battery cell technology more cost effective, reduce carbon emissions and decrease the pressure on the battery materials supply chain”
The Department of Energy (DoE), which aims to ensure the America’s prosperity by addressing its energy challenges through innovative science and technology solutions, has recently announced its new programme to fund the development of electric vehicles domestically, as the country races to achieve its electrification goals. However, as the electric supply chain matures, concerns around resource scarcity are growing and reducing the pressures on the raw material supply chain was the key theme of the event.
Global experts in lithium-ion battery technology, senators, including Senator John Barrasso (R – WY), and industry leaders, such as Tesla co-founder, JB Straubel, came together during the two day conference to explore how the USA can secure its future in the battery gigafactory era.
During the Assembling Anodes panel discussion, attended by more than 350 people, De la Verpillière suggested that leaders consider how new battery anode materials can help them to achieve their goal of securing cost-effective electrification, while delivering the benefits of fast charging, long cycle life and safe performance.
When asked about the future of anode technology, he commented: “There is no silver bullet. There will be a multitude of winners, of which we hope that Echion and our niobium technology, XNO®, will be one. Our ability to deliver fast charging, long cycle life and unrivalled safety in specialised industrial applications will allow our customers to select an anode material that will work best for them with fewer compromises.”
The message, echoed by the entire panel, is that in the rush to develop new technologies and battery performance the emphasis should be on safety to ensure that customers can trust the technology, and that both battery makers and Original Equipment Manufacturers can reduce the potential for expensive liabilities and reputational damage.