Supermaterials trailblazer Lyten will make investments over $1 billion to construct the world’s first lithium-sulfur battery gigafactory in Reno, Nevada.
The brand new manufacturing facility can be able to producing as much as 10 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of batteries yearly as soon as it’s totally on-line. Part 1 (rendering pictured above) is ready to go dwell in 2027.
The brand new gigafactory will produce each cathode lively supplies and lithium metallic anodes, and it’ll assemble battery cells in cylindrical and pouch codecs. Lyten has already been engaged on this expertise at its pilot facility in San Jose, California, which has been on-line since Could 2023.
The Reno manufacturing facility is a part of Lyten’s plan to assist its entry into the micromobility, house, drone, and protection markets beginning in 2024 and 2025. The corporate says it already has a strong pipeline of potential prospects, and it sees this new gigafactory as a vital step towards assembly rising demand.
Lyten’s gigafactory will cowl 1.25 million sq. ft on a 125-acre campus within the Reno AirLogistics Park. Initially, it’s going to make use of round 200 folks, ultimately increasing to greater than 1,000 jobs. These positions will embrace roles for researchers, engineers, technicians, and extra. The corporate plans to interrupt floor in early 2025.
Lyten can also be working intently with the College of Nevada-Reno (UNR), Truckee Meadows Group Faculty, and Nevada Native American and Tribal members to develop a workforce pipeline. The objective is to create native jobs and prepare a proficient workforce that may assist the manufacturing facility’s superior manufacturing wants.
Group leaders are rightfully excited in regards to the challenge. UNR President Brian Sandoval famous that Lyten’s expertise performs a key function in northern Nevada’s rising lithium financial system. Native officers and academic leaders expressed their enthusiasm, highlighting the advantages to the neighborhood, workforce partnerships, and financial growth.
In February 2024, Chrysler introduced the inclusion of Lyten’s lithium-sulfur batteries in its Halcyon idea EV. In Could, Lyten shipped lithium-sulfur batteries to Stellantis and different US and EU OEMs for testing. Lyten has acquired greater than $425 million in funding from firms together with Stellantis, and the US Division of Vitality granted Lyten $4 million to speed up growth.
Lyten’s CEO, Dan Cook dinner, referred to as the Nevada gigafactory a big milestone for the corporate, describing lithium-sulfur as a “leap in battery expertise.” Lithium-sulfur batteries are as much as 40% lighter than lithium-ion batteries and use supplies which might be extra plentiful within the US, not like conventional lithium-ion batteries that depend on imported minerals like nickel, cobalt, and graphite. Nevertheless, they nonetheless have challenges to handle, comparable to a shorter lifespan and fewer stability than lithium-ion batteries, earlier than they go mainstream.
Learn extra: Stellantis is about to check the first-ever production-line lithium-sulfur batteries
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