Panasonic Energy Corporation announced a partnership with Sila, gaining access to its Titan Silicon, a nanocomposite silicon negative electrode.
Panasonic is a leading battery supplier worldwide with partners like Tesla, Mazda, and Stellantis. Sila is a next-generation battery materials manufacturer that debuted Titan Silicon during WHOOP 4.0 in 2021.
Panasonic plans to produce Sila’s anode material in its Moses Lake, Washington facility, qualifying it for tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. Titan Silicon is expected to optimize the Japanese supplier’s lithium-ion batteries. Another upside to Titan Silicon is that it produces significantly less CO2 per kWh than graphite.
Sila is the first company to launch a next-generation anode material to the market, providing an alternative to graphite anodes. Titan Silicon is designed for high-volume production and high performance. Panasonic aims to increase the volumetric energy density of its batteries to 1000 Wh/L by 2030-2031 to meet the expanding demand for electric vehicles.
“We believe that by combining Sila’s innovative battery materials with our advanced cell production capabilities, we can help accelerate the adoption of EVs by addressing concerns such as range anxiety and charging times,” says Shoichiro Watanabe, Vice President of Panasonic Energy.
The battery materials manufacturer estimates that Titan Silicon can increase the range of EVs by 20% and is currently in the development stage to double that range estimate. Sila also states that Titan Silicon’s nanocomposite silicon material can reduce battery charging times. The aim is to reduce charging time to 10 minutes.
“Panasonic is a technology-leading battery manufacturer in the world, and we are actively working to push the boundaries of performance. We are optimizing Titan Silicon to help achieve this vital goal. We look forward to working together,” said Gene Bell, Co-Founder and CEO of Sila.
