Company Promises Massive Energy Density Improvements With New EV Battery Chemistry

Lithium-ion batteries power the vast majority of today’s EVs, but they don’t contain the most efficient formulation, and there are many legitimate environmental concerns around extracting the raw materials needed to build them. Alternative battery chemistries have shown promise, helping cut costs, but a German startup’s recent announcement shows that they could help significantly boost range while solid-state batteries remain in development.

Theion said it was about to close a 15-million euro Series A funding round to continue developing its sulfur-crystal batteries. While the formula promises longer driving ranges, battery life is a major concern with the sulfur-crystal route, though Theion said its proprietary technology could address that challenge.

The company is targeting a 1,000-watt-hour per kilogram energy density, around three times that of the most energy-dense batteries today. That could allow Theion to develop much lighter battery cells without slashing driving range estimates. Even better, the startup said its formulation does not involve cobalt or nickel, both of which come with significant human rights and environmental concerns.

Theion believes that its batteries will need to achieve 1,000 charging cycles to become commercially viable, but it plans to start production once it reaches a verifiable 500 cycles. All of that sounds promising, but startup life is volatile and there are many well-funded companies working on new battery technologies.

[Images: Theion, General Motors]

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