Developer of solid-state batteries Adden Energy has announced that its lithium metal batteries can now maintain extreme fast charging (XFC) of less than 10 minutes at room temperature.
The company says alternative lithium metal batteries cannot reliably charge this quickly even at elevated temperatures.
“The slow charge rates of Li-ion batteries have made EVs inaccessible to too many,” said Will Fitzhugh, CEO of Adden Energy. “Over a third of Americans lack dedicated at-home parking, so the current paradigm of at-home charging just doesn’t work. Our technology makes EV charging as fast as gas, so you can recharge using public infrastructure on your lunch break or on the way home from work.”
Adden Energy’s all-solid-state pouch cell batteries (ASSB) use lithium metal anodes and high-nickel NMC cathodes, which the company says allows energy densities up to more than 500Wh/kg. Patented technologies, including the multi-electrolyte separator and porous 3D lithium metal anode, enable the simultaneous XFC along with industry-leading energy densities.
In 2022, Adden Energy raised a US$5.15m seed round to transition the underlying technology from academic-style pressed-powder coin cells into commercially viable pouch cells for the EV industry.
At its laboratory in Waltham, Massachusetts, Adden Energy has transitioned to these pouch cells and passed testing criteria for adoption by EV manufacturers. This includes reducing the required temperature for XFC to room temperature and maintaining conventional charging rates down to below -20°C.
“Our porous anode technologies allow high cathode loadings in excess of 4mAh/cm2 and our multi-electrolyte separators completely stop dendrites from forming even at such high current densities,” explained Luhan Ye, CTO of Adden Energy.
Adden Energy co-founder and chairman, Xin Li, added, “Adden Energy has developed an unparalleled solution. The significance of simultaneously maintaining commercial-level cathode loadings, a lithium metal anode, room-temperature operation and 10-minute charge cannot be overstated.”