If you’re looking for the latest technology battery, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve covered Prieto’s Jenax J.Flex battery, Sila Nanotechnologies’ ultra fast carbon electrode, Panasonic’s Ultium battery, and Omega(tm) e-cigarette battery, among other innovations.
Prieto’s Jenax J.Flex battery
Prieto’s Jenax battery is a flexible battery that is safer than conventional batteries because of its copper foam substrate. This material can be folded thousands of times without losing its performance. Its design also allows it to fit in a smaller space than conventional batteries. Moreover, it is less expensive to produce and less prone to tearing. In the future, Prieto hopes to use this battery in a variety of wearable devices, such as smart clothing and fitness trackers.
Prieto’s Jenax battery is thin and flexible, weighing only about 20 grams. It operates between three and four volts, and it retains its capacity after 1,000 charge-discharge cycles. While conventional batteries require up to an hour to charge, Prieto’s J.Flex battery can last for a month or more. However, it might not last as long if it is used to power a display.
Sila Nanotechnologies’ ultra fast carbon electrode
Developed in collaboration with researchers from MIT, Sila Nanotechnologies’ ultra fast carbon electrolyte can increase the energy density of batteries by about 40%. The company is developing this technology to make a new type of battery that can be used in electric vehicles. As it turns out, the silicon-based anode used in current batteries is prone to seepage and expand. This swelling causes electrochemical side reactions that degrade the battery’s performance.
Sila Nanotechnologies, based in Alameda, CA, recently secured a $45 million round from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. This funding comes on the heels of a $170 million round led by Daimler AG. The company claims to have developed a carbon electrode that can increase energy density by up to 40% and increase battery life by 20%. The company is led by three former employees of Tesla. I had a chance to speak with Gene Berdichevsky, one of the company’s executives, to learn more about their new technology.
Panasonic’s Ultium battery
Panasonic is well positioned to supply EV batteries to automakers. Though it’s not a pure-play EV battery company, it’s likely to remain a dominant player in this market. The company is currently testing a solid-state battery technology that it hopes will improve EV range and recharge times. The company hopes to manufacture more than 200,000 of these batteries per year. However, the company has not yet generated any revenue.
The company’s Ultium battery uses 70 percent less cobalt than its predecessors. Although it is a relatively new technology, it could double the range of a conventional li-ion battery. To this end, the company is looking for partnerships with battery companies to further advance the technology toward commercial production. In addition to this, Toyota and Panasonic have begun research with the University of Tokyo to find new sources of cobalt and develop a method of recycling batteries to reduce production costs.
Panasonic’s Omega(tm) e-cigarette battery
The Omega(tm) e-cigarette has a variety of features that make it a great choice. It is compatible with SmartCarts(tm) e-liquid and has a slim, sleek design. It is also upgraded with the latest technology in battery cells and hardware durability. This e-cigarette battery can be used in both a traditional and a vape pen.
LG Energy Solution’s Kirin battery
LG Energy Solution, which split off from LG Chem in 2008, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries. It has decades of battery R&D and a worldwide network. It has joint ventures with major automakers and is a top battery patent holder.
The company also has production facilities in Indiana, Alabama, and Ohio. Its new battery plant is set to reach 40 gigawatt-hours of production a year, which is in line with its rivals’ production rates. The Japan-based automaker plans to release 30 new electric vehicles by 2030 and to produce 2 million electric vehicles a year. “The new plant will allow us to expand our reach into the electric vehicle market,” said Youngsoo Kwon, CEO of LG Energy Solution.
