Amprius Pronounces 10X Capability Growth At Its Fremont, California Battery Manufacturing Facility

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Fremont, California-based Amprius applied sciences is the producer of a number of the highest power density lithium-ion battery cells on this planet. This was completed utilizing their proprietary silicone nanowire anode expertise that permits a step change enchancment over the historically graphite-based lithium-ion cell chemistries.

Larger power density and volumetric density issues when cramming batteries into merchandise the place the amount is proscribed and the place weight is a key concern. Assume aviation, drones, VTOLs, and related purposes. After going public final yr in a SPAC merger that valued Amprius at $939 million, an growth of their restricted quantity manufacturing facility within the Bay Space was shortly put into movement. Just some months later, Amprius reached out to ask CleanTechnica to come back as much as the grand opening of their new facility.

Disclaimer: Amprius paid for the writer’s journey to attend the occasion. 

Amprius’ pilot facility is buried in the course of buildings occupied by none apart from Tesla. We have been on this similar avenue touring Tesla’s seat manufacturing unit just some years in the past and Tesla’s famed Kato street 4680 battery cell pilot manufacturing unit is true subsequent door to that. Tesla’s Fremont service middle is subsequent door with the principle Tesla Fremont Manufacturing unit a number of miles down the street. Suffice it to say that the world has develop into a hotbed of innovation within the automotive and battery area over the past 10 years and Amprius is true in the course of it.

The proximity and technological synergies have been so coincidental that many thought Tesla was contemplating buying Amprius a number of years in the past however these rumors have been shortly snuffed out by Mr. Musk himself.

Amprius’ preliminary breakthrough in silicon nanowire anodes was theorized again in 2008 and have become a actuality in 2014 when the primary prototypes have been developed primarily based on the idea. The foundational constructing block of their excessive power density and excessive volumetric density cells begins with a clean piece of conductive substrate. Small nanowires are then impregnated onto the substrate as a framework for the crystalline silicon construction to develop on.

After years of analysis and continued innovation, Amprius has refined the idea right into a full fledged manufacturing line utilizing largely off the shelf battery manufacturing gear. They constructed their very own proprietary manufacturing course of for the steps distinctive to their battery which is now in its third main revision. The present manufacturing course of makes use of manufacturing gear from the photo voltaic cell manufacturing area with particular modifications to adapt it to their wants. Amprius’ staff is assured they’ll scale up from the kilowatt-hour scale manufacturing into megawatt-hours price of cells at their present facility.

Proper on the heels of this growth, Amprius is engaged on a full blown gigawatt-hour scale manufacturing facility in Colorado. We spoke to Amprius CEO Dr. Kang Solar concerning the growth. He confirmed that whereas the latest injection of IRA funds into the US cleantech scene have been useful, Amprius was assured the challenge would pay out by itself benefit. This was essential to the staff at Amprius as authorities incentives come and go however for the power to final, it has to attain monetary sustainability with out incentives.

“The growth of our Fremont facility is a vital milestone for our enterprise as we considerably bolster our capability to satisfy the rising calls for of our esteemed clients whereas on the similar time serving extra clients,” stated Dr. Kang Solar, CEO of Amprius. “As we implement superior manufacturing processes for our proprietary silicon anode cell manufacturing, we’ll be capable to lay the inspiration for our gigawatt-scale manufacturing unit that we count on to be operational in 2025.”

As a part of the ramp up of the manufacturing of Amprius’ Fremont facility, they’re shifting from buying cathodes to constructing them in home. As of in the present day, Amprius’ cathode manufacturing facility is empty. The gear was ordered months in the past, however as with many issues within the post-COVID world, there’s an enormous backlog for the {hardware}. They count on to have cathode manufacturing coming on-line within the early a part of 2024.

Amprius’ enterprise is anchored deeply in its protection contracts with their batteries being utilized in micro reconnaissance drones, weapon techniques, and surveillance techniques. It’s not essentially the most logical place to begin for a clear tech firm, however given the trillions of {dollars} the US continues to throw into the navy, it’s nice to see some improvements in clear tech being funded by the trouble as nicely.

Wanting past navy purposes, e-VTOLs and electrical airplanes are additionally a number of the beneficiaries of Amprius’ excessive power density battery cells. In the event that they’re capable of absolutely outline the manufacturing technique of their superior cells on the newly expanded end-to-end manufacturing line in Fremont, the excessive volumes produced at their upcoming manufacturing unit in Colorado might actually drive the costs down. That opens them as much as much more purposes like electrical automobiles, electrical airplanes, and extra.