A simple twist of scientific discovery sparked one company’s breakthrough in battery technology for electric vehicles.
Coreshell, a battery technology company, is developing what it says is the first commercial-scale battery that uses metallurgical silicon (MG-SI) in the anode. Their design replaces the traditional Chinese-produced graphite anode electrode with an anode made of domestically sourced, low-cost silicon. Using metallurgical silicon for the anode, Coreshell can use 10 times less anode material to achieve the same battery capacity.
Silicon has a much higher theoretical capacity than graphite, said Ross Polk, Coreshell’s director of business development. “You can load more energy into it, and because of that your battery goes farther.”
Coreshell’s battery is also engineered for fast-charge capabilities, Polk said, so an EV’s recharge rate will be quicker.
Cost is the primary differentiator for Coreshell’s battery technology. A close second is its sustainability and environmental benefits.
The battery is the largest cost component of EVs, accounting for up to 40 percent of the materials cost,” said Coreshell CEO Jonathan Tan.
“Most automotive manufacturers are losing money for every EV sold, and most consumers are still priced out,” he said. “This high cost, combined with reliance on foreign supply chains and ongoing production challenges, is a major barrier to affordable, clean transportation.”
Tan said their EV batteries “have the potential to make EVs affordable enough to enable mass adoption.” By replacing graphite anodes, battery anode material costs were cut by up to 50 percent while increasing EV range by up to 40 percent, Tan said. And using metallurgical silicon will cut carbon emissions by 29 percent.
“This has the potential to replace graphite at a time when China controls nearly 93 percent of the global graphite supply chain,” Tan said.
Ongoing production challenges are another barrier to affordable, clean transportation, Tan said. Coreshell has a strategic partnership with London-based Ferroglobe, a top global producer of silicon metal. Tan said the partnership connects Coreshell with a domestic supply chain rather than relying on China and other countries.
Coreshell will keep production in the U.S. in its new 23,000-square-foot facility in San Leandro, Calif., south of Oakland in the East Bay area.
Coreshell specializes in cost-effective, high-performance silicon anodes, unlocking new possibilities for EV batteries. The company collaborates with leading silicon producers, battery manufacturers, and automotive OEMs, driving the global shift toward clean energy solutions. Learn more online at coreshell.com.
Mark Maynard has been writing about cars, their people, and products for 30 years. Find him at MaynardsGarage.com.
The news and editorial staffs of Southern California News Group and The San Diego Union-Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.
