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StoreDot Starts Shipping A-Samples of XFC Cells to Automakers

StoreDot is a promising Israeli startup. It said it is developing batteries that will offer extremely fast charging and named them accordingly: XFC (Extreme Fast Charge). Skeptics rightfully wanted more proof that these cells are for real. The company’s response came on November 10, when StoreDot said it started shipping A-samples to automakers.
StoreDot Cells 7 photos
Photo: StoreDot
StoreDot Consistent Driving Range PropositionStoreDot Consistent Driving Range PropositionStoreDot 4680 CellsStoreDot CellsStoreDot Consistent Driving Range PropositionStoreDot Consistent Driving Range Proposition
StoreDot’s sample cells are being manufactured by EVE Energy, a partner of the Israeli company since November 2018. They are pouch cells, but the startup also said it produced 4680 batteries with its technology, which would be focused on manufacturing. StoreDot said it is dispatching them to “global car manufacturers” that will help it test them in real-life conditions. However, the cell startup did not mention any of these automakers, which is unusual.

SES recently bragged about being the first company to deliver A-samples to carmakers, and it specifically mentioned two of them: GM and Hyundai. QuantumScape has a notorious link with Volkswagen. Solid Power has Ford and BMW as investors. StoreDot should also mention the companies that are getting its A-samples.

The Israeli company said that its silicon-dominant chemistry will help to reduce charging times in half when the batteries reach the production stage by 2024. It also mentioned that its technology would help these cells have a consistent performance throughout their lifespans, which would make them even more remarkable than if they were only faster to charge.

StoreDot explained that it will achieve a “fixed battery driving range for the duration of its useful service life” thanks to a “combination of patented software and cell chemistry management.” Nowadays, EV owners know that the range they get when the car is new will decrease with time.

Some manufacturers offer battery pack warranties ensuring 70% or 80% of charge capacity within certain limits. More recently, Toyota said the bZ4X would keep 90% of its capacity after ten years or 240,000 km (150,000 mi), whichever happens first. If it doesn’t, the company will replace its battery pack for free. Either that is a lot of trust in the product or a clever way (even if expensive) to recover battery packs for recycling.

Apart from the XFC cells, StoreDot also promises solid-state batteries with extreme energy density (XED). Unfortunately, the company did not make any reference to how extreme that would be: it only said these cells would be available in 2028. We’ll wait for third-party testing to celebrate.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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