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Company that Made Tesla Model S Run 752 Miles Doubts NMC/NCA Foundations

Whenever an electric car catches fire, EV advocates rush to mention that they are much safer than ICE vehicles. Mujeeb Ijaz may agree with that, but he’s still not at ease with nickel and cobalt in EV batteries. In an interview with Automotive Engineering, the ONE (Our Next Energy) founder said it clearly: “I’d say we should be worried about the foundation of NCM/NCA.”
ONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVs 29 photos
Photo: ONE
ONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE (Our New Energy) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVsONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without rechargingONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without rechargingONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without rechargingONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without rechargingONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without rechargingONE demonstrated a new battery that powered an EV 752 miles without recharging
If you do not remember what ONE is, that’s the company that replaced a Tesla Model S battery pack with the one it developed and managed to make it travel 752 miles (1,210 kilometers) with a single full charge. Called Gemini, that battery pack did not have cobalt or nickel, meaning it did not have any of the cells most automakers are currently putting in electric cars.

According to Ijaz, they adopted these chemistries “because it was the only family of cell chemistry to deliver the range numbers” at the time, which was about a decade ago. He reinforced the message shared with Automotive Engineering in ONE’s most recent video. Apart from explaining Gemini, he reinforced that when nickel and cobalt are put together, they “represent a major thermal runaway risk.”

Ijaz gives that more context and touches on the EV advocates’ argument that EVs are safer. ONE's CEO argues that if only one vehicle catches fire among 100,000 electric cars, you’ll be able to say that they are pretty safe. If you have 10 million EVs, you’ll have 100 of them burning. It took GM ten Bolt EV fires for a massive recall to happen after they kept repeating over and over. That is the official number: there are at least 19 fires reported with this EV.

ONE \(Our New Energy\) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVs
Photo: ONE (Our New Energy)
Electric car fires are also more difficult to extinguish. That usually destroys the vehicle beyond repair and can also affect the structure around where they are parked. In recalls that involve fire risks, owners are advised to park far away from anything that might be damaged.

ONE’s CEO is also concerned about the supply chain. According to him, increasing EV adoption by 1% represents an increase of 100% in the cobalt demand, which is not sustainable – despite all the talk that EVs will save the planet. They may help but will definitely not if they repeat the same mistakes made with ICE vehicles.

This is why Ijaz defends that automakers should urgently pursue other chemistries. Although that helps the product he and his team are developing, they started doing so precisely with that in mind, making the Gemini even more mysterious.

ONE \(Our New Energy\) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVs
Photo: ONE (Our New Energy)
This battery pack offers 203.7 kWh and an energy density of 416 Wh/l. ONE states that the Gemini is a dual battery, meaning it is a hybrid with two different chemistries. That’s pretty much what NIO decided to do with its 75-kWh swappable battery pack with a significant difference: it does not use nickel or cobalt.

The battery part destined for daily use is most certainly composed of LFP cells, thanks to their low cost and reliability. ONE makes another battery pack called Aries that comprises these cells. The daily-use part of this package could be a mini-Aries.

The other part is what ONE did not disclose so far. In the video, it suggests it is a combination of iron, phosphate, lithium, and manganese. Volkswagen is also pursuing cells with manganese for its high-volume EVs. In one of the slides, the battery startup compares the components of Gemini cells with those used by current cells.

ONE \(Our New Energy\) founder and CEO thinks we should beware of nickel and cobalt in EVs
Photo: ONE (Our New Energy)
ONE’s battery pack only uses 83% of the lithium, 40% of the graphite, and not a drop of nickel and cobalt included in mainstream EV batteries. In other words, it seems ONE uses a ternary cell without nickel or cobalt. Iron and phosphate would take their places. We have never heard of this combination before.

The battery startup will still elaborate on its solution for avoiding nickel and cobalt, and we are really curious to hear about it. Whatever ONE has to propose, its concern with raw materials and thermal runaways is more than valid. Japanese carmakers also have it and are not willing to bet on the current mainstream chemistry. The future of electric cars may be with what these guys are preparing to present.

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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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