High-Performance Battery Systems to Power the Rise of Electric Mobility
Safer Energy Storage Packed Into a Smaller Space
Cuberg, Inc.
Recipient
San Leandro, CA
Recipient Location
9th
Senate District
18th
Assembly District
$3,263,815
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2021, the team expanded and moved to a new facility to establish a pilot line and ramp up production. In 2022, the team established a low rate initial production pilot line and dry room that can accommodate thousands of cells produced per month. The team is learning how to troubleshoot manufacturing techniques, after bringing all aspects of cell production in house and expects to scale its production line in 2023.
The Issue
In the recent years, the performance of lithium-ion batteries has plateaued with materials approaching their fundamental limits. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries require often costly and heavy safety engineering systems to prevent the flammable electrolyte from catching fire. Additionally, increasing flight time, payload capability and reliability for UAVs and the broader electric aviation sector represent key pain points for the aerospace industry. Improvements in cell specific energy (Wh/kg), power (W/kg), and safety are critically needed to enable the rise of electric mobility, and support California in meeting its 2035 100% EV mandate.
Project Innovation
This project will further the Recipient's existing battery cell technology - allowing them to design battery modules that are designed to provide energy-dense storage for electric drones, vehicles, and other applications. During the project, the team will design and obtain safety certifications for their battery module, design and build a low-rate-initial-production manufacturing line, and produce and ship up to 300kWh of module prototypes to potential customers.
Project Benefits
This Agreement will lead to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers to the achievement of the State of California's statutory energy goals by enabling the design of an ultra-safe battery module and its integration into the world's most efficient and energy-dense pack for use in electric mobility applications. These energy dense battery packs will decrease the cost per kWh and eventually accelerate the mass market adoption of electric vehicles as cheaper, higher range and safer electric vehicles are produced. This will assist California to achieve statutory goals, particularly to ensure that statewide GHG emissions are reduced to 40% below the 1990 level by 2030 (SB 32), as electric vehicles become more economically and functionally more appealing for the customers.
Safety
These battery modules will power drones with better capabilities for search-and-rescue efforts, logistics missions, and monitoring for agriculture, oil and gas, and utility transmission lines.
Subrecipients
Veolia North America
Electroflight Ltd.
Match Partners
Cuberg, Inc.
Electroflight Ltd.
