Solid Power installs EV cell pilot line; 300 cells per week

Solid Power, a developer of all-solid-state battery cells for electric vehicles, has completed installation of its pilot production line—dubbed the “EV cell pilot line”—which is designed to produce EV-scale solid-state cells. Solid Power intends to produce Silicon EV Cells for internal testing before delivering cells to its automotive partners BMW and Ford to kick off automotive qualification testing, which is planned for the end of the year.

Solid Power’s EV cell pilot line is designed to produce large-format sulfide-based cells in a manner that mimics existing traditional lithium-ion production processes. When running at full capacity, Solid Power’s EV cell pilot line is expected to be capable of producing 300 cells per week, or approximately 15,000 cells per year, with the majority of those being planned for automotive qualification testing.

Solid Power’s Silicon EV Cells are designed to power longer-range, lower-cost and safer electric vehicles. By using more than 50% active silicon in the anode, Solid Power has designed the cell for increased energy density, which is expected to correlate to longer driving ranges to address range anxiety—a key barrier to mass EV adoption.

With the EV cell pilot line now installed, our next big challenge is commencing production at scale and building cells that meet the requirements necessary for us to enter into automotive qualification later this year.

—Derek Johnson, Chief Operating Officer at Solid Power

Solid Power expects to be able to optimize its Silicon EV Cells for capacities ranging from 60 to 100 Ah. The company expects this flexibility to allow Solid Power to meet its automotive partners’ specifications, while allowing for additional partners with distinct design specifications.