Oxfordshire's Nexeon strikes key supply deal for its battery material with Panasonic

Oxfordshire-based Nexeon has struck a long-term supply deal for its ground-breaking anode material with tech giant Panasonic, marking the industry's first significant announcement over the use of the former's material for commercially supplied lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles (EVs).

Nexeon has developed an advanced silicon-based anode material, which can increase the energy density of lithium-ion cells by up to 50%, improving vehicle range.

READ MORE: More than $200m funding raised by Oxfordshire’s Nexeon

Through this collaboration with Panasonic, Nexeon's so-called 'drop-in' material will power EVs from 2025.

"The partnership with Panasonic is a testament to the progress we have made with our battery material technology," said Scott Brown, the CEO of Nexeon.

"Our silicon anode material will bring dramatically improved vehicle range and charging speeds for EVs, helping to address drivers’ concerns and accelerate the transition to cleaner forms of mobility."

Shoichiro Watanabe, the executive vice-president of Panasonic Energy, added: "This collaboration will help us drive growth of the lithium-ion battery industry and accelerate the world towards a net-zero emissions future.

"By integrating Nexeon's groundbreaking battery material with our advanced cell manufacturing capabilities, we believe that we can address the concerns such as range anxiety and charging time and contribute to accelerating the adoption of EVs."

The collaboration means Panasonic will be able to use a much higher percentage of silicon in lithium-ion cell anodes compared with first generation materials such as silicon-oxide, without requiring critical changes to its cell manufacturing process or significant capital investment.

Nexeon manufactures advanced silicon anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, which are a key part of the globe's bid to achieve a sustainable future.

Panasonic Energy Co, established in April 2022 as part of the Panasonic Group’s switch to an operating company system, provides innovative battery technology-based products and solutions globally.

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