SES AI Corporation, a developer of lithium metal batteries, announced that its 100 Ah cell designed for electric vehicles has successfully passed safety tests in China. The tests were conducted according to the Chinese safety standard GB38031-2020, marking a significant milestone for the company.
The GB38031-2020 standard encompasses a range of stringent safety evaluations, including overcharge, over discharge, heating, temperature cycling, and crushing tests. SES AI, formerly known as SolidEnergy Systems, emphasized the importance of this achievement. “Compliance with GB38031-2020 demonstrates that SES AI’s 100 Ah Li-Metal cells can effectively manage safety risks under these stringent test conditions,” the company stated. The standard includes two types of safety tests that lithium metal cells for electric vehicles and electric aircraft in China must pass: abuse simulation and operational safety.
“For abuse tests, passing GB38031-2020 is a key milestone. It’s also the first time in the industry that a high energy density cell such as Li-Metal passes the rigorous safety tests of GB38031-2020,” said Qichao Hu, founder and CEO of SES AI. Regarding operational safety, Hu highlighted that the deployed safety AI can predict and prevent almost all incidents in the field, adding, “The results are highly encouraging, affirming our decade-long commitment to refining Li-Metal chemistry and enhancing the safety of Li-Metal batteries.”
Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Boston, SES AI operates additional offices in Singapore, Shanghai, and Seoul. The company’s battery cells feature a lithium metal anode with high energy density, a protective anode coating, and a proprietary, highly concentrated solvent-in-salt liquid electrolyte. In July 2021, Hu indicated that the battery could achieve an energy density of 400 Wh/kg at the cell level. SES AI’s development partners include well-known automotive companies such as General Motors, Hyundai-Kia, and Honda.
In the early part of this year, SES AI also entered the next phase of its joint development agreement (JDA) with Hyundai, making it the only company developing Li-metal batteries with ongoing agreements for B-models in the automotive industry. In addition to targeting the electric car market, SES AI is expanding its focus to include electric aircraft manufacturers. The company has announced the establishment of its first production plant for 30 Ah Li-metal cells for urban air mobility, which will be located in Chungju, South Korea.
