Cory Gunther
General Motors announced it has partnered with the Palo Alto-based company OneD Battery Sciences to lead a joint research and development process on new battery technology for electric vehicles.
Along with the partnership, GM Ventures also invested in OneD as part of a Series C $25 million funding round. The goal is to deliver better EVs with improved battery energy density, extended range, and more affordable price points. Basically, fixing a few key pain points when it comes to electrification.
OneD’s SINANODE nanotechnology uses unique silicon nanowires to enhance graphite in battery cells. The hope is to offer a 10x increase in energy, which would open the doors for smaller EV battery packs, lighter vehicles, or potentially more performance in smaller spaces.
These SINANODE cells are more efficient and may increase range, something every EV owner wants. We’ve also seen a lot of movement on this front, with a Chinese battery brand claiming its new pack can go over 600 miles on a charge. Here’s what GM had to say about the deal:
“GM designed Ultium to be a supremely flexible platform so we can continuously improve our cells as battery technology advances. Our collaboration with OneD will focus on efforts to continue advancements in EV range, performance, and cost.”
Being two American companies means that if the partnership works out, GM could get closer to vehicles made entirely in the USA to qualify for more federal EV tax credits in the future. And that’s on top of the other improvements being touted. Plus, moving production stateside could avoid the global supply constraints we’ve seen as of late.
Battery technology and advancement are a big topic of discussion right now, and it’s not going away anytime soon. For now, we’ll have to wait and see.
Source: General Motors Co
