ION Storage Systems (ION), a Maryland-based manufacturer of safe, high energy density, fast-charging solid-state batteries (SSBs) (earlier post) announced that its anodeless and compressionless SSB achieved a key customer—and industry—threshold with its first market deployment with the US military.

ION’s SSB successfully achieved and exceeded 125 cycles with less than 5% capacity degradation in performance offering the potential for more than 1000 cycles in future deployments. ION has been working with the DoD to test its SSB battery before expanding into other markets including electric vehicles, energy storage, consumer electronics and aerospace.

Discharge capacity of ION Storage Systems’ Solid-State pouch cell at 25°C and zero compression over 150 cycles.

ION’s US-designed and manufactured SSB battery cells are the first to achieve this milestone with an anodeless design and no compression, representing a key accomplishment for broader adoption of SSBs, which have long been considered the safer, more powerful alternative to traditional Li-Ion batteries.

ION’s patented solid-state anodeless technology forgoes graphite and other less sustainable materials while maximizing battery capabilities through its revolutionary 3-D, ceramic structure. ION’s SSB requires no compression, swell budget, extensive cooling system or heavy fire barriers; combined with the ability to accommodate existing and future cathode technologies translates to simple and cost-effective manufacturing at scale.

ION’s SSB is the first and only compressionless solid-state battery technology to achieve ARPA-E and DOE VTO Fast-Charge goals at room temperature.

With its recent supply agreement with and investment by Saint-Gobain, ION is poised to manufacture its patented solid-state batteries at scale. ION is partnering with various government agencies to demonstrate the viability of ION’s solid-state batteries to sustain operations in highly demanding environments.