Sila Nanotechnologies announced in May that it would begin manufacturing its unique silicon anode batteries at a plant in Moses Lake, Washington. Now, about a year later, Sila Nano says it hopes to start mass production in the second half of 2024 and to produce enough batteries to power one million vehicles over the following five years.
According to a press release dated April 4, Sila commissioned a consumer survey that found nearly 90% of respondents who own or intend to purchase an EV value high performance battery technology more than other tech enhancements or luxury features, such as autonomous driving capabilities.
Graphite anodes and simple silicon compounds (Si, SiO, SiO2) have surpassed their energy limit in lithium-ion batteries. In contrast, Sila solutions deliver the EV experience drivers want to reduce anxieties around range and charge time.
For automakers who want longer range, Titan Silicon can deliver a 20% increase in range today, which could be up to 100 extra miles for some EVs, with a development runway to double those gains in future releases.
Sila’s Titan Silicon can also significantly reduce battery charging time, charging a cell from 10% to 80% in only 20 minutes – even if your current charge time is up to 60 minutes.
Future releases will cut that time to around 10 minutes, which is comparable to filling up a petrol tank. Notably, Titan Silicon achieves these improvements while retaining minimal swell — equivalent to graphite anodes — without affecting cycle life or safety.
Additionally, automakers may benefit from up to a 15% decrease in battery weight and a 20% gain in space using Titan Silicon, allowing for greater vehicle economy and the addition of novel designs and features.
Sila says it tried more than 70,000 variations of its formula before landing on Titan, which will be sold at a premium until higher production levels bring down costs. Automaker customers can choose the amount of silicon to use in their batteries depending on range and price point needs.
Reference- Business Wire, Inside EVs, Sila Nano website & PR, Interesting Engineering