GM and OneD to bring silicon nanotechnology to Ultium batteries

The EV race is well and truly on, we are well into the depths of it with all the car manufacturers introducing new models left, right and center, and ditching the gas-powered cars like bad apples. But there is another race where the stakes are much higher - whoever can manufacture a lighter and smaller EV battery that delivers more driving range, will have the world at their feet.

GM is well aware of that fact, despite its Ultium EV platform and battery being highly flexible and already proving a huge advantage to the company’s electric car plans, the company will need to improve the battery tech to stay relevant. Battery technology moves on really quickly thanks to huge investments and often one or two year technology is already old news.

OneD Battery Sciences is coming to the rescue and it signed a partnership with GM to jointly research, develop and implement its silicon nanotechnology into GM’s Ultium batteries. The silicon anode tech developed by OneD is believed to be the first of its kind and it substantially improves the battery energy density and charging times.

GM believes that with this technology implemented, the Cadillac Lyriq should be capable of hitting at least 400 miles instead of the current 312 miles of range. That means a whopping 30 percent improvement from the same battery pack. But increasing the range is only one possibility, for many smaller cars making the battery pack smaller and delivering the same range means a lighter and more efficient car.

Silicon seems to be the next step in lithium-ion battery development, many companies have taken that route already. New XPeng G9 is claimed to be the fastest-charging EV on the market, thanks to its silicon-carbide chemistry and 800V architecture. BMW is another company that confirmed it is already working on its next generation battery tech that revolves around the implementation of silicon anode.

Smaller and lighter battery packs with higher energy density to deliver higher driving range are the future of electric cars. Few companies are pursuing solid-state battery technology with the first production models promised to reach customers next year but this tech is, and will be for a while, far more expensive. Once the manufacturing reaches higher yields, the costs will come down. This is a high-stakes race and the winner will literally take it all.

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