Materials technology vendor Sylvatex has created a new production method to deliver electric vehicle (EV)-grade cathode active material (CAM) at lower costs and allow for broader materials than other batteries.
The sustainable approach to CAM production could enable a 25% reduction in cost, a 40% reduction in plant capital requirements and an up to 80% reduction in energy use.
The CAM market is expected to grow to $189 billion by 2032 and is considered one of the more expensive bottlenecks in the production of lithium-ion batteries, which are expected to grow 10 times in the next decade due to the explosion in EVs and the efforts to curb climate change.
CAM improvements
Improving the manufacturing of CAM is considered a way to meet long-term demand for batteries and help automotive OEMs as they make their largest transition in history to electrification.
Sylvatex said about 100 additional CAM plants will need to be in production by 2032 to meet increasing EV demands that are coming from this transition. Traditional cathode production methods would require $200 billion in manufacturing capital deployed and 20 billion gallons of water consumed annually.
However, the company said its new method would eliminate water use, making it far more sustainable while delivering cost reductions.
“Today’s method for producing cathodes is extremely costly and requires an incredible amount of resources,” said Danny Kennedy, CEO of New Energy Nexus, a clean energy accelerator. “If we're to realize the clean energy transition, battery production must scale dramatically, and evolve into a more cost-effective and sustainable process.”
