OneD Battery Sciences and Koch Modular have joined forces to establish a factory in North America dedicated to the large-scale production of silicon-graphite anode materials for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The collaborative initiative aims to meet the demand for anode materials sufficient for powering approximately 1 million EVs annually. The location of the factory, estimated to cost “a few hundred million dollars,” will be disclosed in the near future, according to OneD CEO Vincent Pluvinage.
OneD, among several startups focusing on silicon anode materials, stands out with its incorporation of silicon nanowires into graphite EV battery anode material. This innovation is designed to enhance EV battery performance, extend range, reduce charging time, and lower overall weight. Notably, General Motors (GM) is both an investor and a customer of OneD.
As China refines over 90% of the world’s graphite for EV battery anodes and introduced export restrictions in December, global efforts to secure alternative sources of synthetic graphite or explore materials such as silicon have intensified. OneD’s strategy not only aligns with this trend but also emphasises cost-effectiveness, making it an attractive solution for automakers aiming to produce affordable EV models.
Koch Modular, a minority-owned entity under U.S. conglomerate Koch Industries, will play a key role in the collaboration by designing and constructing a silane gas plant. This facility will be pivotal in removing impurities from silicon before its integration with graphite to create silicon anode materials at the OneD factory.
The partnership is not limited to North America, as Pluvinage reveals that OneD is in negotiations with potential customers to replicate a similar plant in Europe. The move aligns with the broader global shift toward securing and owning more of the electric vehicle supply chain.
While the market for high-purity silicon, known as polysilicon, has been flooded with inexpensive supplies from Chinese suppliers over the past decade, recent developments, including the Inflation Reduction Act in the U.S. and increased efforts in Europe to control more of the EV supply chain, have made a U.S. silane plant economically viable.
George Schlowsky, President of Koch Modular, emphasises the significance of this shift, stating, “There was never any thought in my mind that we’d ever sell another silane plant again, but due to the desire… for the Western world to own the technology, our silane production system is available once more.”