Sion Power reports 400 Wh/kg, 700 Wh/L and 350 cycles under 1C for Li-ion battery with Li-metal anode technology
03 October 2016
Sion Power reported that a Licerion-Ion system has achieved 400 Wh/kg, 700 Wh/L and 350 cycles under 1C discharge conditions. Dr. Yuriy Mikhaylik, Sion Power’s Director of Materials, is presenting details on this performance in an invited presentation at the ECS meeting in Honolulu this week.
Licerion, a product of Sion Power’s technical collaboration with BASF (earlier post), is a comprehensive battery system that significantly enhances the energy and cycle life of rechargeable batteries using a physically protected metallic lithium anode. The physical protection is based on ceramic-polymer composite membranes and is combined with specialized cell design and electrolyte systems providing smooth, dendrite-free lithium deposition and chemical protection of the exposed metallic lithium surface. This approach addresses the safety and cycle life problems that have historically plagued lithium-metal electrodes.
Sion combines its protected lithium anodes with intercalated metal oxide cathodes typically used for Li-ion batteries (Licerion-Ion) and with advanced sulfur cathodes (Licerion-Sulfur).
Sion, in collaboration with BASF, is targeting 500 Wh/kg, 1000 Wh/L and 1000 cycles.
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Schematic representation of Sion Power’s Licerion cell construction. |
Sion Power’s Licerion-Sulfur products are being commercialized via its partnership with Airbus Defence and Space. (Earlier post.) An earlier version of the technology was employed in setting a world record for the longest duration unrefueled flight for a high altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS).
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Sion’s roadmap to high energy density batteries. Click to enlarge. |
Sion Power is in the process of expanding its facilities in Tucson, Ariz. for the production of prototype large format Licerion Ion cells. These cells will be available by December 2017. In the interim, Sion Power is evaluating potential volume manufacturing partners to supplement in-house capacities.
Interesting.
What I can find on the Tesla Model S packs is that they're about 1000 lbs of which about 250 lb is packaging, leaving 750 lb (340 kg) for cells.
340 kg @ 400 Wh/kg = 136 kWh. At 380 Wh/mile, that's more than 300 miles of cruising range there. Average drain rate would be about C/4.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 03 October 2016 at 07:42 AM
And 380 Wh/mile is on the high end of the range. Some versions are rated at 350 Wh/mile highway & 360 combined while some drivers have reported getting even lower numbers; https://forums.tesla.com/en_CA/forum/forums/miles-kwh
Posted by: ai_vin | 03 October 2016 at 09:05 AM
Speaking from experience with a Fusion Energi, it depends a great deal on how fast you drive and what accessories you run.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 03 October 2016 at 09:13 AM
I think the "annual 7-8% battery improvement" is about to become a 10-12% annual battery improvement simply because there has been so much investment the last 5 years.
Posted by: DaveD | 03 October 2016 at 10:15 AM
A hand to Sion and BASF, specially for the targeted unit with 500 Wh/Kg, 1000 Wh/L and 1000 cycles.
In a TESLA S200, this battery could drive a Model S for 600+ miles (a real extended range BEV) good for 1000 X 600 = 600,000 + miles or 1,000,000 Km.
Something like 25 to 30 full recharge/year would be sufficient. Home slower charges would make the battery last even longer.
Posted by: HarveyD | 03 October 2016 at 10:19 AM
1000 cycles not acceptable in my view. With one charge per day, would make the battery last less then 3 years, versus >10Y expected by EV buyers. No way to have anything <3300 cycles in my car....
Posted by: Patrick Free | 03 October 2016 at 11:01 AM
Scion powered a solar plane with high energy density lithium sulfur cells.
Posted by: SJC | 03 October 2016 at 11:24 AM
I'm glad to see Sion Power improving their cells.
The next step-change for Tesla cells will be the 2170 cells for the Model 3 - I expect a significant increase (probably over 300Wh/kg and 800 Wh/l). The key that Tesla invested in with the P100D is the increased pack volume efficiency - the same size pack can hold more cells because of cell and cooling layout. This is needed for the Model 3 to hold all the cells for the high-capacity battery pack.
A 500/1000/1000 (Wh/kg, Wh/l, cycles) cell would be insanely great, but I don't expect them in any time frame I would plan an EV around (3 years). That said, with the increased packing efficiency of the new Tesla packs, you're looking at dramatically cutting pack weight as well as extracting 20% more energy per unit volume. An future Model S pack (assuming similar volume) could hold 120-130kWh of energy and weigh 150kgs less. Or just hold the same 100kWh and weigh 200kgs less.
And 1,000 cycles at 350 miles per cycle is 350,000 miles to 80%. Its really higher than that because, at least with today's Li-Ion batteries, the more shallow the cycles (e.g. 60% to 40% five times vs. 100 to 0 once), the less strain it has on the internal battery structure, so you'll get more than 1,000 cycles to 80% capacity reduction.
Posted by: Anthony F | 03 October 2016 at 12:24 PM
@Patrick Free: Now divide 1000 full cycles by depth of discharge to get what you'd expect in daily use.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 03 October 2016 at 02:29 PM
The real story here is battery development is marching forward and the technology is improving; albeit, slowly.
Once people realize EVs are feasible, their advantages over ICEs
can no longer be papered over by the fossil fuel industries and their bought politicians. We will know it's over when oil subsides are removed and the taxpayer no longer has to pay for fossil energy that is killing himself and his kin.
Posted by: Lad | 03 October 2016 at 03:02 PM
Sony had the first lithium ion batteries in 1990, since then they have become safer with higher capacity. There was no doubt there would be a market for a better battery, after more than 25 years this is where we are. If it were easy everyone would have done it by now.
Posted by: SJC | 04 October 2016 at 06:26 PM
The next disruptive technology may be near future graphene enhanced Li-on batteries with up to 10 times the energy storage per volume or up to 1000 Wh/Kg. Those batteries will be capable of many thousand cycles and will recharge to 90+% in a few seconds like super capacitors.
Your smart phones, tablets and laptops (and other gadgets) will operate for days on the same charge. Future BEVs will do up to 1000 Km per extremely quick charge. New higher capacity chargers, cables, connectors will have to be developed. The electrical industry will do that.
Future extended range e-drones and regional e-planes will become a reality.
If such batteries can be mass produced at reasonable cost, they may hit the market place sometime between 2020 and 2025.
Posted by: HarveyD | 07 October 2016 at 02:27 PM