| Project Detail |
The transportation sector is responsible for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., with road-based passenger vehicles accounting for 57% of those emissions. Cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans, and pick-up trucks emit more than one billion tons of CO2 domestically per year. As the U.S. works to decarbonize the transportation sector and increase production of “clean” (zero emission) electricity, electric vehicles (EVs) are compelling alternatives to vehicles with internal combustion engines. The key to EV adoption is a reliable, inexpensive battery that can charge fast and provide improved performance and range retention in cold weather compared to state-of-the-art commercial options.
Ampcera will develop an all-climate thermally modulated solid-state battery (TMSSB) incorporating a thermally modulated cell technology (TMCT), developed by partner EC Power. “Heatable” solid-state batteries (SSBs) have the potential to provide disruptively high energy density and enable ultra-safe fast charging in EVs during cold weather, overcoming many of the consumer acceptance barriers hindering widespread adoption. Ampcera’s TMSSB combines a high-capacity silicon anode and a high-voltage, nickel-rich oxide-based cathode to enable a specific energy exceeding 400 Wh/kg. Combining the TMCT with a high ion conducting solid-state electrolyte will enable rapid charging at ambient conditions. The TMCT also enables cold startup times of less than one minute at ambient temperatures of -20°C, making the TMSSB advantageous in cold climates. |
