Sila Nanotechnologies, a battery materials startup founded by former Tesla engineers, is set to commercially scale up its silicon anode batteries—an upgraded version of lithium-ion batteries with higher energy storage capacity. The company has announced that its Titan Silicon anode is about to enter the market and will be implemented in Mercedes-Benz’s luxury G-Class off-road vehicles. Their new battery is expected to increase the recharge range by 20% and significantly cut down charging time to just 10 minutes.
Sila’s Titan Silicon, a high-performance nano-composite silicon, aims to replace conventional graphite anodes. It is estimated to boost EV range by 20%, or 161 km past the current highest record of 830 km.
The Titan Silicon is an embedded solution that be used with any type of battery cell, including cylindrical, pouch, or prismatic. It can also be integrated into battery manufacturing systems—and depending on the manufacturer’s performance goals and product development timelines—can fully or partially replace graphite anodes.
Sila co-founder and CEO, Gene Berdichevsky, highlighted that their Titan Silicon is the highest-performing nano-composite silicon on the market. As EVs gain popularity, Sila’s battery and material team aims to provide consumers with better and more cost-effective solution, offering greater range and faster charging speeds.
Sila’s battery can currently be charged from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes, which is comparable to the 18 minute charge time of modern 800V ultra-fast charging systems. However, the company believes that future improvements will allow for charging times to be halved to just 10 minutes.
Sila also points out that Titan Silicon is a market-approved alternative to graphite anodes. In 2019, Sila established a strategic partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and the latter is now planning to adopt this technology. Once implemented, the Titan Silicon is expected to increase battery energy density by 20–40%, possibly reaching 800 Wh/I. The two companies had aimed to launch an all-electric EQG model with Sila anodes within five years. Last year, Ola Källenius, Mercedes-Benz CEO revealed via social media that their all-electric EQG will be launched by the end of 2024.
Sila’s manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, Washington, has finished developing new equipment and is set to begin mass production in the latter half of 2024. The company plans to produce enough anode materials to power 1 million EVs within five years.
(Image Source: Sila)