Automotive Engineering - May 2023 - 39

Q&
Scaling the solid-state battery FEST
Start-up battery developer Factorial Energy's workforce of engineers,
chemists and other technology specialists has topped
100 with recent hirings in the Asia-Pacific region. A pilot manufacturing
plant for the firm's solid-state lithium-metal batteries
is slated to launch later this year. And, Hyundai Motor Co.,
Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz have invested in the Woburn,
Massachusetts-based company and its proprietary Factorial
Electrolyte System Technology, trademarked FEST. CEO Siyu
Huang recently spoke with SAE Media's Kami Buchholz.
Condensed highlights of the interview:
What are the targeted benefits of FEST?
Our technology has three major attributes.
Number one is energy density.
We're delivering approximately 20 to 50
percent higher energy density compared
to today's lithium-ion manufacturers.
Number two is safety. All of the
prior recalls due to battery safety situations
have taken a toll, so we've put
substantial emphasis on battery safety.
Number three, our system is highly
compatible with today's lithium-ion
manufacturing process, which means
we will be able to save in development
costs and bring this technology to market
faster.
How does FEST differ from today's
Li-ion batteries?
With an up to 50 percent energy density
improvement versus traditional lithium-ion,
that can translate to a substantially
higher driving range compared to
existing electric vehicles. We have 60plus
patents and patent applications on
file. The patents and pending patents
address material technology, cell design
and the cell manufacturing process.
Siyu Huang, CEO of Factorial Energy.
" Our development
partners are helping
us bring the cells to
the module level for
vehicle integration. "
There are a lot of unique attributes in the solid-state materials.
With a traditional lithium-ion battery, the liquid electrolyte
is very volatile and more flammable between 60-75 degrees
Celsius. For our system, the electrolyte is not flammable until
at least 200 degrees Celsius. So that makes the system inherently
stable from a material perspective, and it's also armed
with a novel cell design and manufacturing process. FEST has
been successfully scaled in 40-Amp-hour cells at room temperature.
The long-term goal is for FEST to be scaled in
100-Amp-hour cells.
What are key aspects of the pilot plant?
It's a very sizable plant, 60,400 square
feet. In the initial phase, we plan to produce
about 300,000 pouch and large
format cells per year. Our up to 200MWh
facility in Methuen, Massachusetts,
will have a manual assembly line and a
semi-automated pilot production line.
We expect to be operational in 2023.
What about the production equipment?
Most of the equipment will be similar to
what's used today for Li-ion manufacturing.
Probably less than 20 percent of the
equipment will need to be modified to
accommodate our proprietary process.
Equipment modifications require a lot of
internal engineering, and we have a great
engineering and technology team. We've
recruited many talented people with extensive
battery experience. Our leadership
team also has extensive experience
in the automotive and battery industries.
Factorial Energy's 40-Ah battery
cell uses the company's FEST.
AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING
Talk about the value legacy automakers
bring to a start-up.
Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and Hyundai
are really good partners. They bring a
lot of support from organizational, investment
and business perspectives.
Our joint development partners have
provided a combined $200 million investment,
giving us a substantial cash
flow for pilot production capabilities
and our core engineering work force.
Our development partners are helping
us bring the cells to the module level for
vehicle integration. And they're helping
with many other things, such as the
supply chain, government relations and
sustainability factors. We're really grateful
to have their strong support.
May 2023 39
A
BOTH IMAGES: FACTORIAL ENERGY
https://factorialenergy.com/
Automotive Engineering - May 2023

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