Battery500 consortium to spark ev innovations: pacific northwest national laboratory-led, 5-year $50m effort seeks to almost triple energy stored in electric car batteries

The Battery500 consortium, led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), aims to significantly improve electric vehicle batteries to make them smaller, lighter, and more affordable. The consortium, which includes national labs, universities, and industry partners, has been granted up to $10 million per year for five years from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The goal is to develop lithium-metal batteries with almost triple the specific energy of current electric vehicle batteries, making them more efficient and lightweight. The consortium will focus on preventing side reactions and ensuring their solutions are applicable to automotive and battery manufacturers. The research could also advance stationary grid energy storage.