SES AI Corporation, a leading developer of lithium metal battery, has announced a major milestone in battery safety testing. The company’s 100Ah cell, intended for use in electric vehicles, has passed rigorous safety testing in China, meeting the stringent Chinese safety standard GB38031-2020.
The comprehensive test protocol included a variety of challenging scenarios such as overcharging, over-discharging, heating, temperature cycling and crushing. By meeting the GB38031-2020 standard, SES AI has demonstrated that its 100Ah lithium metal cells can effectively manage safety risks in harsh environments.
Qichao Hu, founder and CEO of SES AI, emphasized the importance of this achievement: “Passing GB38031-2020 is an important milestone, and it’s also the first time in the industry that a high energy density cell such as lithium metal has passed these stringent safety tests.
The company’s battery technology includes a high energy density lithium metal anode, a protective anode coating and a proprietary high concentration solvent-in-salt liquid electrolyte. SES AI is targeting an energy density of 400 Wh/kg at the cell level, as announced by Hu in July 2021.
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, SES AI has received investments and partnerships from major automakers including General Motors, Hyundai-Kia and Honda. The company is actively pursuing development agreements for B-model automobiles and is also exploring the electric aircraft market.
In a related development, SES AI has announced plans for its first 30Ah lithium metal cell production facility, which will focus on urban air mobility applications. The plant will be located in Chungju, South Korea.
This latest safety certification represents a significant step forward in the development and commercialization of high-performance lithium metal batteries for electric vehicles and aircraft, potentially paving the way for future advances in energy storage technology.
Source: BusinessWire, SES News (1), SES News (2)
