Amprius Technologies has shipped SiMaxx A-sample EV cells to the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), the mission of which is to develop advanced battery cell and system technologies to meet next-generation performance and cost goals for electric vehicles. These cells are designed to address some of the most challenging issues experienced by EV users, such as range anxiety and the need for shorter charging times.

Amprius’ own internal testing of the A-Sample EV cell has shown exceptional performance, achieving a specific energy of 360 Wh/kg at the beginning of life—surpassing the USABC program target of 275 Wh/kg at end of life—while delivering a power density of 1200 W/kg. This could result in a significant increase in range compared to most commercial EV batteries available today.

Additionally, the A-Sample EV cells can charge to 90% of their rated energy in just 15 minutes, exceeding the USABC target of 80% within the same timeframe. Based on initial results, Amprius believes it is making significant strides towards achieving its goal of 1000 cycles.

Amprius has held technical engagements with multiple automotive OEMs and has had a long-standing collaboration with USABC. Delivered on schedule in September, the A-Sample EV cells shipment is the final milestone in the $3-million USABC technology development contract awarded to Amprius in May 2022 to create a low-cost, fast-charge silicon nanowire battery. Amprius believes this achievement paves the way for additional sampling and evaluation by automotive manufacturers.

USABC is a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC (USCAR), the collaborative technology company of Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis. Enabled by a cooperative agreement with the USDepartment of Energy (DOE), USABC’s mission is to develop electrochemical energy storage technologies that advance commercialization of next generation electrified vehicle applications. In support of its mission, USABC has developed mid- and long-term goals to guide its projects and measure its progress.