Stellantis is about to test the first-ever production-line lithium-sulfur batteries
In a milestone, supermaterials trailblazer Lyten has shipped lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries to Stellantis and other US and EU OEMs for testing.
Lyten’s shipment of A samples of its 6.5 Ah Li-S pouch cells is the first major step in the commercial evaluation of lithium-sulfur batteries by leading US and European automakers. Stellantis announced that it had invested in Lyten’s lithium-sulfur battery development in May 2023.
“This milestone is the result of years of dedicated work and innovation from the Lyten team, and we are just at the start of further expanding the capabilities of our lithium-sulfur battery cells,” said Lyten CEO and cofounder Dan Cook.
Operating from its automated pilot production line in San Jose, California, which came online in May 2023, Lyten produces lithium-sulfur batteries using standard lithium-ion manufacturing equipment and practices. The company plans to ship cylindrical A samples later this year, and its first giga-scale factory is currently being designed.
Lithium-sulfur batteries face issues related to cycle life and stability under real-world operating conditions, but Lyten says it’s addressed those challenges in its lithium-sulfur EV batteries.
Lyten has integrated its proprietary 3D graphene structure within the Li-S battery’s cathode. This structure enhances the battery’s overall stability and conductivity, addressing common issues such as the polysulfide shuttle effect, which typically leads to rapid capacity loss in Li-S batteries.
By using a lithium metal composite for the anode instead of the traditional graphite, Lyten has improved the anode’s stability and efficiency. This modification also helps to increase the battery’s overall energy density while potentially reducing degradation over time.
The need for critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese in the cathode is also eliminated, and that means a projected 65% lower carbon footprint than lithium-ion batteries and a supply chain that can be fully sourced in the US or EU at scale.
In February 2024, Chrysler announced the inclusion of Lyten’s Li-S batteries in its Halcyon concept EV, and the US Department of Energy has granted Lyten $4 million to accelerate development. Lyten has raised more than $410 million in equity capital to date.
What do you think of the commercial potential Li-S EV batteries? Let us know in the comments below.
Read more: Stellantis sees Q1 2024 drop in revenue, but EV sales were up
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Tesla’s Q2 results are in, and they are way, way down from Q2 of 2024. At the same time, Nissan seems to be in serious trouble and the first-ever all-electric Dodge muscle car is getting recalled because its dumb engine noises are the wrong kind of dumb engine noises. All this and more on today’s deeply troubled episode of Quick Charge!
We’ve also got an awesome article from Micah Toll about a hitherto unexplored genre of electric lawn equipment, a $440 million mining equipment deal, and a list of incompetent, corrupt, and stupid politicians who voted away their constituents’ futures to line their pockets.
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OpenAI is distancing itself from Robinhood‘s latest crypto push after the trading platform began offering tokenized shares of OpenAI and SpaceX to users in Europe.
“These ‘OpenAI tokens’ are not OpenAI equity,” OpenAI wrote on X. “We did not partner with Robinhood, were not involved in this, and do not endorse it.”
The company said that “any transfer of OpenAI equity requires our approval — we did not approve any transfer,” and warned users to “please be careful.”
Robinhood announced the launch Monday from Cannes, France, as part of a broader product showcase focused on tokenized equities, staking, and a new blockchain infrastructure play. The company’s stock surged above $100 to hit a new all-time high following the news.
“These tokens give retail investors indirect exposure to private markets, opening up access, and are enabled by Robinhood’s ownership stake in a special purpose vehicle,” a Robinhood spokesperson said in response to the OpenAI post.
Robinhood offered 5 euros worth of OpenAI and SpaceX tokens to eligible EU users who signed up to trade stock tokens by July 7. The assets are issued under the EU’s looser investor restrictions via Robinhood’s crypto platform.
“This is about expanding access,” said Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s SVP and GM of crypto. “The goal with tokenization is to let anyone participate in this economy.”
The episode highlights the dynamic between crypto platforms seeking to democratize access to financial products and the companies whose names and equity are being represented on-chain
U.S. users cannot access these tokens due to regulatory restrictions.
Despite the warnings, BYD continues introducing new discounts. On Wednesday, BYD’s luxury off-road brand began offering over 50% Huawei’s smart driving tech.
BYD introduces new discounts on smart driving tech
After BYD cut prices again in May, the China Automobile Manufacturers Association (CAMA) warned that the ultra-low prices are “triggering a new round of price war panic.”
Although they didn’t single out BYD, it was pretty obvious. BYD slashed prices across 22 of its vehicles by up to 34%, triggering several automakers to follow suit in China.
BYD’s cheapest EV, the Seagull, typically starts at about $10,000 (66,800 yuan). After the price cuts, the Seagull is listed at under $8,000 (55,800 yuan).
It doesn’t look like China’s EV leader plans to slow down anytime soon. Fang Cheng Bao, BYD’s luxury off-road brand, introduced new discounts on Huawei’s smart driving tech on Wednesday.
The limited-time offer cuts the price of Huawei’s Qiankun Intelligent Driving High-end Function Package to just 12,000 yuan ($1,700).
Buyers who order the smart driving tech in July will save over 50% compared to its typical price of 32,000 yuan ($4,500).
Earlier this year, Fang Chang Bao launched the Tai 3, its most affordable vehicle, starting at 139,800 yuan ($19,300). The Tai 3 is about the size of the Tesla Model Y, but costs about half as much.
The Tai 3 will spearhead a new sub-brand of electric SUVs following the more premium Bao 8 and Bao 5 hybrid SUVs.
BYD’s luxury off-road brand sold 18,903 vehicles last month, up 50% from May and 605% compared to last year. Fang Cheng Bao has now sold over 10,000 vehicles for three consecutive months.
The Chinese EV giant sold 382,585 vehicles in total in June, an increase of 12% from last year. In the first half of the year, BYD’s cumulative sales reached over 2.1 million, a YOY increase of 33%.
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