Automotive Industry
New Assembly Line to Make Lithium-Metal Batteries for EVs
The state-of-the-art production line will assemble large-format battery cells exceeding 50 amp-hours.
Sion’s Licerion lithium-metal anode technology addresses the most significant barriers to mass EV adoption: range, cost and charge time. Photo courtesy Sion Power
TUCSON, AZ—Sion Power, a manufacturer of lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage, has installed a new large-format battery cell production line at its assembly plant here.
Sion’s Licerion lithium-metal anode technology addresses the most significant barriers to mass EV adoption: range, cost and charge time. Licerion doubles the energy density of other battery technologies, surpassing graphite and silicon anode technologies. It is expected to reduce the cost of a 200 kilowatt-hour battery pack by 35 percent through a 15 percent cut in material costs and a 20 percent reduction in cell count. It also enables charge times comparable to a gas station’s 8-minute average refuel time.
Compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries, Licerion batteries offer twice the energy in the same size and weight.
The state-of-the-art production line will assemble large-format battery cells exceeding 50 amp-hours.
“The ability to scale performance from small prototype cells to large-format cells is often where battery technologies face the greatest challenge,” said Tracy Kelly, Sion Power president. “Our new manufacturing line bridges that gap, demonstrating the capability of our lithium-metal battery technology in formats applicable to real-world applications.”
Until now, Sion Power used an automated assembly line to produce a variety of cell formats, including lab-scale and 6 amp-hour cells, while using a semiautomatic line for larger-format cells. Adding the new line significantly enhances production efficiency and quality control for larger-format cells, which are essential for validating performance, cycle life and manufacturability at scale.Looking for quick answers on assembly and manufacturing topics? Try Ask ASM, our new smart AI search tool. Ask ASM
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