Factorial, a U.S.-based startup that’s working on a more cost-effective way of building solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, is opening a new facility in the Boston suburb of Methuen, Massachusetts today.
With backing from names like Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai Motor Company, the American company developed a proprietary, quasi-solid electrolyte dubbed Factorial Electrolyte System Technology (FEST) that can be integrated into existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment, lowering production costs.
The startup’s new facility will initially house a cathode coating line, with plans of expanding the location so that it can accommodate the largest solid-state battery assembly line in the U.S., with an annual capacity of 200 megawatt-hours, but a timeline for this expansion has not been published.
“Factorial continues to drive the battery industry forward and this milestone is no exception,” said Joe Taylor, Executive Chairman of Factorial and Former Chairman and CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America. “Automaker demand for American-made batteries is high to produce electric or hybrid vehicles that qualify for incentives. Our facility will manufacture automotive-sized solid-state batteries at pre-production speed and volume, illuminating a clear path to mass production and reaching economies of scale.”
Compared to liquid-based lithium-ion batteries, solid- or quasi-solid-state batteries have the upper hand when it comes to energy density and the risk of catching on fire. This means that a solid-state battery that has the same volume as a lithium-ion battery will typically have a higher capacity, enabling the EV it’s fitted in to travel a longer distance.
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Solid-state batteries also have the potential to be recharged at much higher rates compared to their liquid-based counterparts, making top-ups faster and journeys less stressful – if you can find a fast enough DC charger, that is.
Factorial’s latest milestone is its 100+ amp-hours cell, which was unveiled back in January during the Consumer Electronics Show 2023 in Las Vegas, where Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said that by 2026, the solid-state battery developed with Factorial may deliver up to 30 percent higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion, while the next-generation of cells will push the density difference to 50 percent.
It’s worth noting that the American startup isn’t the only company out there that’s working on mode energy-dense batteries, with QuantumScape, Nissan, and Toyota among the names that are preparing something similar.
Toyota recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Idemitsu, which is primarily a petroleum company, to make its 621-mile solid-state batteries a reality and bring them to market in 2027 or 2028.