Sila opens U.S. factory to make silicon anodes for energy dense EV batteries | TechCrunch

"Sila, the battery materials startup, started operations Tuesday at its facility in Moses Lake, Washington. The factory, which will initially be capable of making enough battery materials for 20,000 to 50,000 EVs, is the first large-scale silicon anode factory in the West, and future expansion could fulfill demand for as many as 2.5 million vehicles. Silicon anodes promise to improve the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by as much as 50%. The technology, which Sila has been working on for the past 14 years, could be the best chance for the U.S. to gain the upper hand in a global race for battery supremacy, Sila co-founder and CEO Gene Berdichevsky argues."

"Sila currently has agreements to supply anode material to Panasonic and Mercedes. Though automakers and their suppliers will be the factory's main focus, Berdichevsky said his company has also been selling to drone manufacturers, satellite companies, and consumer electronics companies. The startup isn't the only company working on silicon anode materials. Group14, which also has operations in Moses Lake, currently produces its proprietary mix at a factory it developed with SK Innovation in South Korea. Amprius, a company based in Fremont, is currently producing megawatt-hours worth of its material in the U.S. and gigawatt-hours worth with partners in China. But Sila's Moses Lake factory, which has been under construction for nearly two years, "is really the first auto scale silicon anode plant in the U.S.," Berdichevsky said. The company raised $375 million last year to help finance the project."

Sila began operations at a Moses Lake, Washington facility that will initially produce silicon anode materials sufficient for 20,000–50,000 electric vehicles, with planned expansion potentially serving 2.5 million vehicles. Silicon anodes can increase lithium-ion battery energy density by up to 50%. The technology has been developed over 14 years and is positioned as a strategic U.S. opportunity in global battery competition. Initial commercial agreements include Panasonic and Mercedes, and customers span automakers, drone, satellite, and consumer electronics firms. Competing firms include Group14 and Amprius. The project raised $375 million and leveraged local cheap hydropower, abundant land, and nearby suppliers.

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