Gross sales of the sub-$30,000 Chevy Bolt, being assembled right here in Orion Township, Michigan, allowed GM to lately go Ford as a distant No. 2 behind Tesla in EVs. Future low-cost GM EVs may benefit from the batteries being developed by Mitra Chem.
Joe White | Reuters
General Motors mentioned Wednesday it is main a $60 million financing spherical in Mitra Chem, a California-based startup working to develop lower-cost batteries for electrical autos.
Mitra Chem, based by veterans of Tesla and Toyota, is working to develop new kinds of batteries primarily based on lithium iron phosphate chemistry. The batteries, abbreviated LFP primarily based on the weather’ chemical symbols, are of nice curiosity to EV makers as a result of they do with out costly minerals like cobalt and nickel, that means they price lower than customary lithium-ion cells.
Tesla, Rivian and Ford Motor are among the many automakers utilizing LFP cells of their extra reasonably priced fashions.
LFP cells have confirmed to be fairly sturdy in EVs. However they’ve an obstacle: their energy density is decrease than customary cells. Which means an EV wants extra LFP battery cells, and thus extra weight, to match the vary of an analogous mannequin powered by standard batteries.
As well as, most LFP cells which might be presently out there are made by Chinese companies — presenting a problem for automakers aiming to construct EVs that qualify for U.S. subsidies.
Mitra Chem is engaged on a variation of the LFP battery chemistry that provides manganese to the batteries’ cathodes, in a bid to extend the battery cells’ energy density whereas retaining the LFP price benefit. The corporate is utilizing what it calls an “AI-powered platform” that, it says, drastically accelerates the method of attempting new battery chemistries because it goals to hit simply the appropriate components.
“Our battery supplies R&D facility can synthesize and check 1000’s of cathode designs month-to-month, ranging in measurement from grams to kilograms,” mentioned Mitra Chem CEO Vivas Kumar at a information convention forward of the announcement. “These processes drive considerably shorten studying cycles, enabling shorter time to marketplace for new battery cell formulation.”
Gil Golan, a GM vp charged with dashing up the method of bringing new EV applied sciences to market, mentioned the auto large is stepping up its give attention to potential breakthroughs in battery applied sciences.
“Mitra Chem’s labs, strategies and expertise will match nicely with our personal R&D workforce’s work,” Golan mentioned.
Golan mentioned that if Mitra Chem is profitable, its batteries might seem in GM’s autos later on this decade.
The specifics of GM’s funding in Mitra Chem weren’t disclosed.
