Panasonic Energy to purchase silicon anode materials from Nexeon for EV batteries in the U.S.

25 July 2023, 14:14:02

Panasonic Energy announced the signing of an agreement to purchase silicon anode material for automotive batteries from U.K.-based Nexeon to boost the performance of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). Nexeon’s silicon anode material will be used for lithium-ion batteries to be manufactured at a new facility in De Soto, Kansas, U.S., from 2025.

In general, achieving a higher energy density of battery cells requires improving the capacity of not only cathodes but also anodes. Silicon materials are considered the key to boosting battery performance because their theoretical capacity is approximately 10 times that of graphite, which is currently commonly used as an anode material. However, there is a hurdle to increasing the percentage of silicon in anodes as problems arise from its expansion characteristics when the cells are charged, resulting in battery capacity fading.

Panasonic Energy has actively developed technologies to harness silicon-based materials and become the first company to succeed in mass production of silicon-doped EV batteries. It will be among the first in the industry to use Nexeon’s new high-capacity silicon capable of containing expansion undercharging to boost battery performance. The company will continue to increase the percentage of silicon with the aim of attaining the target of improving the volumetric energy density by 5% by 2025 and 25% by 2030 as stated in Panasonic Energy’s business strategy.

News related to Panasonic or Nexeon

Subaru and Panasonic Energy announced plans to prepare for the supply of automotive lithium-ion batteries and joint establishment of a new battery factory in Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Panasonic Energy will supply its next-generation cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries for the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) Subaru plans to produce starting in the latter half of the 2020s. This follows their...

9 September 2024

Panasonic Energy announced that it finalized preparations for mass production of the 4680 cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries, marking a much-anticipated breakthrough in the industry. The company has also revamped its Wakayama factory in Western Japan, which will serve as the mother factory for the new cells. An opening ceremony was held today to commemorate the occasion. The mass production is set to start...

9 September 2024

Mazda and Panasonic Energy have signed an agreement on the supply of cylindrical automotive lithium-ion batteries. Earlier this month, Subaru also announced it signed a basic cooperative agreement with Panasonic Energy for the supply of cylindrical automotive Li-Ion batteries. In June and July 2023, Mazda and Subaru commenced discussions with Panasonic Energy aimed at building a medium- to long-term partnership for...

30 March 2024

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has agreed with Panasonic Holdings Corporation (Panasonic HD) to make Primearth EV Energy Co., Ltd. (PEVE) a wholly-owned subsidiary to strengthen its capabilities in mass-producing automotive batteries. The acquisition is scheduled to take place in late March. Among Toyota-affiliated companies, currently PEVE, Toyota Industries Corporation, and Prime Planet Energy & Solutions, Inc...

5 March 2024

Subaru and Panasonic Energy have started talks to build a medium- to long-term partnership in the supply of cylindrical Li-Ion batteries. More specifically, Panasonic Energy will supply Subaru with such batteries which will be installed on Subaru BEVs after 2025. The construction of a dedicated BEV plant in Gunma, Japan is also included in the discussion.

3 August 2023

Panasonic Energy and Mazda announced that they have agreed to enter into discussions on establishing a medium- to a long-term partnership to meet the demand for battery EVs and automotive batteries in a rapidly expanding market. Panasonic Energy and Mazda will commence concrete discussions with a view toward Panasonic Energy supplying Mazda with automotive cylindrical lithium-ion batteries manufactured at Panasonic...

21 June 2023

Panasonic has released its financial results for the year 2023 so far and expectations for 2024. In the expansive document, there's a section depicting the areas where the company expects growth and one of them is automotive batteries. In order to take advantage of this expected growth, Panasonic mentions three key areas: Enhancing supply capabilities in the USA - the mass production of 2170 cells from the Kansas...

11 May 2023

SNE Research reported that the global EV battery market has recorded a 38.6% YoY growth in Q1 of 2023. The total amount of energy held by batteries for pure EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs was around 133 GWh. CATL remains the top market player with a growth rate of 35.9% and 35% market share. BYD experienced a staggering growth in the Q1 of 115.5% but ranks second in market share with 16.2%. LGES is third with a growth rate of...

5 May 2023

According to SNE Reasearch, the global battery usage for 2022 has been 518GWh - a 517.9% growth YoY. For this year, the research agency expects 749 GWh of batteries to be deployed in EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs. Being a South Korean company, SNE Research pays special attention to the three local companies that are major players in the EV battery market - Samsung SDI, SK On, and LG Energy Solution. Their production is...

8 February 2023

According to Digitimes Research reported by Digitimes Asia, the global sales of electric vehicles have reached 9.78 million units in 2022. The projected growth for this year is 49% to 14 million units sold globally. Of those, 9 million are expected to be sold in China only. Even now, China's share of the global EV sales is higher than 60%. For comparison, Europe sales account for 24% of the total sales, and USA...

11 January 2023

Panasonic Energy and Lucid Group announced they have entered into multi-year agreements to supply batteries for Lucid's award-winning luxury electric vehicle, Lucid Air, the fastest-charging, longest-range EV on the market, and Lucid's upcoming Gravity SUV. The agreement marks another milestone in Panasonic's plans to expand production of lithium-ion EV batteries beyond Japan and into the U.S. with production coming...

14 December 2022

Panasonic Energy began construction on a new lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas. The project will drive significant economic activity and opportunities for the local Kansas economy making the state a key player in the domestic electric vehicle (EV) industry. Facility construction is focused on rapidly ramping up manufacture of "2170" cylindrical Li-ion batteries to meet surging domestic EV...

7 November 2022

Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NMG), Mitsui, and Panasonic Energy have entered into a Framework Agreement establishing the terms of the commercial relationship between the parties to enable the next development steps of NMG’s ore-to-battery-market integrated graphite project in Québec, Canada. NMG will use the proceeds of the abovementioned investment to work in the upcoming months on optimizing the feasibility study...

27 October 2022

Panasonic Energy and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly jointly announced that the state of Kansas has approved an Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) state incentive application submitted by Panasonic Energy. The agreement would make the state the location for a proposed US-based lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility, pending approval by Panasonic Holdings Corporation Board of Directors. Panasonic Energy plans...

14 July 2022