Page 154 - CW E-Magazine (13-5-2025)

News from Abroad

JOINT DEVELOPMENT

Stellantis and Factorial Energy announce solid-state

battery development milestone

Stellantis, the multinational auto-
maker formed through the merger of
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and
PSA Group in 2021, and American solid
state battery maker, Factorial Energy,
have announced the successful validation
of Factorial’s automotive-sized FEST
(Factorial Electrolyte System Technology)
solid-state battery cells. This is part of
efforts to bring next-generation electric
vehicle (EV) batteries to market.

Commenting on the development,
Mr. Ned Curic, Stellantis’ Chief Engineer-
ing and Technology Officer, said, “This
breakthrough puts us at the forefront of deliver high power output with discharge By closely collaborating on pack
the solid-state revolution, but we are not rates up to 4C, supporting greater perfor- design and leveraging this disruptive
stopping there. We continue working mance demands in electric vehicles. technology, Stellantis and Factorial are
together to push the boundaries and deliver optimising battery pack architecture to
even more advanced solutions, bringing Factorial’s scientific engineering and reduce weight and improve overall sys-
us closer to lighter, more efficient batte- AI-driven tools developed the electrolyte tem efficiency for seamless integration.
ries that reduce costs for our customers.” formulation that allows the battery to per- These weight savings directly enhance
form in temperatures ranging from -30°C vehicle range and support more sus-
Unlike conventional lithium-ion bat- to 45°C (-22°F to 113°F). This is said to tainable and affordable EV solutions.
teries, solid-state batteries offer higher surpasses previous solid-state limitations Building on Stellantis’ $75-mn invest-
energy density and faster charging. The and open the possibility for better perfor- ment in Factorial Energy in 2021, this
validated 77Ah FEST cells demonstra- mances across various climates. milestone strengthens the collaboration
ted an energy density of 375Wh/kg with between the two companies. With this
over 600 cycles progressing towards auto- “Battery development is about com- achievement, Stellantis will advance
motive qualification, a milestone for promise. While optimising one feature its previously announced plan to inte-
large-format lithium-metal solid-state is simple, balancing high energy density, grate Factorial’s solid-state batteries
battery. The cells enable a significant cycle life, fast charging, and safety in an into a demonstration fleet by 2026.
reduction in charging time, from 15% to automotive-sized battery with OEM vali- This demonstration fleet represents the
over 90% charge in just 18 minutes at dation is a breakthrough,” said Ms. Siyu next step toward commercialising this
room temperature. Additionally, the cells Huang, CEO of Factorial Energy. promising technology.

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Oil and gas companies add renewable fuels

to low-carbon portfolio: Report

The global energy landscape is the world’s energy mix has declined gas emissions and combat global warm-
steadily moving toward cleaner sources, from 82% in 2022 to 81.5% in 2023, ing. Against this backdrop, biofuels are
with a gradual decline in fossil fuel de- indicating a gradual shift. This transition emerging as a low-carbon alternative in
pendence. The share of fossil fuels in is driven by the need to cut greenhouse transportation, with their share in total

154 Chemical Weekly May 13, 2025

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