Mercedes-Benz will be supplied with silicon anode batteries for their upcoming electric G-Wagon.
Earlier this month, Porsche announced they’d be investing in carbon-silicon battery technology for their future vehicles. Now, another Stuttgart-based carmaker has unveiled their silicon strategy for future batteries. It’s Mercedes-Benz and their partner in this new battery tech brand is Sila.
Mercedes-Benz first started investing in Sila in 2019. Today, they have signed a supply agreement, cementing another important milestone for both companies.
The first Mercedes-Benz vehicle that will make use of Sila’s high-silicon anode batteries will be the all-electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the EQG. This was teased by designer Gorden Wagner recently:
Thanks to Sila’s silicon anode material, the G-Wagon’s batteries will have 20-40% higher energy density versus today’s lithium ion batteries. Mercedes-Benz are projecting 800 Wh/l per cell.
Here’s the press release with more.
PRESS RELEASE
Mercedes-Benz takes another major step in building the world’s most desirable electric cars. The inventor of the automobile today announced that it will work with Sila, a next-generation battery materials company, to incorporate Sila’s silicon anode chemistry in batteries which are optionally available for the first time in the upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class. This will add another innovative cell chemistry to the Mercedes-Benz battery portfolio.
The innovative high-silicon anode material will increase the energy density of batteries without compromising safety or other performance parameters. Compared to today’s commercially available cells with a comparable format, Sila’s technology enables a 20-40% increase in energy density reaching more than 800 Wh/l at cell level. This major development enables Mercedes-Benz to store much more energy in the same space, thus increasing range of its future vehicles by a significant amount.
The advanced silicon anode materials will be manufactured using 100% renewable energy in Sila’s new Washington state facility, making Mercedes-Benz the factory’s first publicly announced automotive customer. Both companies are targeting mid-decade for a range-extended-version of the electric G-Class to be equipped with the new battery technology option.
Mercedes-Benz invested in Sila in 2019 as part of the company’s research and development of advanced batteries for the automaker’s future electric vehicles. The supply agreement announced today is the natural next step for the partnership and marks another important milestone in Mercedes-Benz’ ambition to become the leading manufacturer of electric vehicles.
Sila works to enhance all aspects of battery performance, produce quality-controlled silicon anode materials at scale, and support implementation to ensure customers achieve their goals and safety requirements for shipping products. After ten years of research and development and 55,000 iterations, the Sila team was the first to industrialize and make commercially available a next generation lithium-ion chemistry with dramatically higher energy density. This expertise results in a technology that will be able to power future Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles.
