To improve the driving range of electric vehicles and reduce the cost of power batteries, General Motors has recently bet on lithium metal batteries.
General Motors President Mark Reuss recently announced in a virtual conference that GM will use lithium metal technology in its next-generation batteries and will collaborate with battery startup SolidEnergy Systems (SES) to jointly develop and produce the next-generation batteries. GM was also an early investor in SES in 2015.
In a press release, GM said the agreement includes plans to establish a joint “prototype manufacturing line” in Woburn, Massachusetts, which will begin pre-production of batteries in 2023.
GM states that lithium metal chemistry will produce a higher energy density compared to current lithium-ion chemistry. This means increased driving range with the same battery pack size, thus saving space and weight in electric vehicles.
The so-called lithium metal battery was developed by SolidEngergy, which originated from MIT. This technology can reduce the size of current lithium batteries by half, making them suitable for electric vehicles.
The market's assessment of lithium metal batteries is that the technology is an engineering breakthrough that will greatly improve battery performance, enhance battery lifespan, significantly improve the economic benefits of power storage, promote the upgrading and transformation of consumer electronics products, and have great significance for human life.
