Photo: SES
SES has already challenged QuantumScape, Solid Power, and other companies pursuing solid-state cells by stating it does not believe they are feasible. The battery startup also presented the Apollo A samples and said it is working with GM and Hyundai. Now SES announced it would be closer to Hyundai by establishing SES Korea.
The South Korean subsidiary will have about 50 people working there until the end of 2022, but that is just the beginning. The plan is to have a pre-production facility in Hyundai’s home. In fact, SES wants to be closer to two other important partners from that country: SK and LG, which control respectively SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution.
According to the American battery startup, SES Korea will be its largest operation outside the U.S. apart from SES Shanghai Giga. The name of the Chinese subsidiary is not trying to mock Tesla’s Giga Shanghai: it relates to where it is located (Shanghai) and to its planned production capacity: 1 GWh in lithium metal cells.
The SES batteries do not use a solid separator. Instead, it developed a high concentration solvent-in-salt electrolyte that is self-extinguishing in the case of thermal runways. The lithium metal it applies as an anode uses a polymer coating to prevent dendrite formation. With that, SES’ lithium metal battery can be manufactured in the same factories that make current lithium-ion cells. For SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution, that’s gold.
The Apollo is the first cell for automotive use SES has created. As it currently is, it delivers 107 Ah, 935 Wh/l, and 417 Wh/kg with a weight of 982 grams. That’s a 60% advantage in energy density compared to today's best lithium-ion cells. Apart from that, SES claims it can go from 10% to 90% of charge in only 12 minutes.
In SES Korea, the battery startup plans to study different A samples than those it has already offered to GM and Hyundai. SES informed that Honda also had signed a JDA (joint development agreement) with it to develop A samples for automotive use. We would not be surprised to hear about SES Japan in a few months from now.
According to the American battery startup, SES Korea will be its largest operation outside the U.S. apart from SES Shanghai Giga. The name of the Chinese subsidiary is not trying to mock Tesla’s Giga Shanghai: it relates to where it is located (Shanghai) and to its planned production capacity: 1 GWh in lithium metal cells.
The SES batteries do not use a solid separator. Instead, it developed a high concentration solvent-in-salt electrolyte that is self-extinguishing in the case of thermal runways. The lithium metal it applies as an anode uses a polymer coating to prevent dendrite formation. With that, SES’ lithium metal battery can be manufactured in the same factories that make current lithium-ion cells. For SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution, that’s gold.
The Apollo is the first cell for automotive use SES has created. As it currently is, it delivers 107 Ah, 935 Wh/l, and 417 Wh/kg with a weight of 982 grams. That’s a 60% advantage in energy density compared to today's best lithium-ion cells. Apart from that, SES claims it can go from 10% to 90% of charge in only 12 minutes.
In SES Korea, the battery startup plans to study different A samples than those it has already offered to GM and Hyundai. SES informed that Honda also had signed a JDA (joint development agreement) with it to develop A samples for automotive use. We would not be surprised to hear about SES Japan in a few months from now.
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