Strong-state battery developer QuantumScape has just lately shared its Q2 2023 report, providing a number of updates on its progress towards reaching commercialization – significantly within the EV phase. The corporate is reporting stellar milestones together with a cargo of excessive cathode-loading cells to automotive companions in addition to particulars of a possible buyer chosen for an official launch of its first product.

QuantumScape ($QS) is a sophisticated battery expertise firm with properly over a decade’s value of expertise growing (hopefully) scalable, extremely energy-dense solid-state battery cells that may sooner or later obtain price parity with conventional lithium-ion cells standard in present EV fashions.

Regardless of its tenure within the nascent, holy-grail house of solid-state cells, the corporate didn’t really begin making believers out of us till 2020, when it introduced it had reached a “main breakthrough” by using a proprietary ceramic separator. This led to single-layer prototype cell testing, adopted by 10-layer cells, then 16-layer prototypes.

By Q2 of 2022, QuantumScape had expanded its expertise to energy-dense, 24-layer cells, ripe for vigorous inside testing. These Pattern-A cells, represented the start of a three-step journey (A, B, and C) towards automotive qualification and eventual manufacturing.

Final December of 2022, QuantumScape started delivering the primary 24-layer A0 prototype cells to automotive companions for them to check themselves and by Q1 of 2023, testing had been accomplished by a minimum of one unnamed EV OEM.

At that very same time, QuantumScape shared that its first business solid-state product might be an ~5 Ah cell known as QSE-5. Based on its Q2 2023 report, QuantumScape shared it’s now transport these prototype cells to companions as properly.

QuantumScape stays on observe in Q2

The solid-state specialist outlined particulars of its progress the previous three months in a letter to shareholders expressing optimism and progress towards core targets beforehand outlined. One among which was to extend the cathode-loading capabilities of its cells which allows greater cell vitality inside the identical design footprint.

These superior cathodes, bolstered by anode-free lithium-metal expertise, supply loading that’s better than 5 mAh/cm² – considerably greater than cathodes QS has beforehand shipped to clients (~3.1 mAh/cm²), and nonetheless able to storing extra vitality than 2170 cells utilized in a few of the longest vary EVs on the present market (~4.3 mAh/cm²). See chart above.

In its Q2 report, QuantumScape confirmed that it has already shipped these new excessive cathode-loading cells to a number of automotive companions, remaining on observe in its improvement timelines. Mixed with the aforementioned 24-layer prototype cells, QuantumScape believes it may quickly ship “industry-leading vitality and energy efficiency,” and its newest cargo validates that.

A kind of companions that’s at the moment testing the prototype cells might find yourself being the primary OEM to commercially launch the corporate’s flagship QSE-5 in an EV. The Q2 2023 report states that QuantumScape is already in cahoots with a potential launch associate within the automotive sector. QS says it’s working with this thriller associate to convey its expertise to the EV market ASAP.

When QSE-5 does hit the EV market donning somebody’s badge, QuantumScape is anticipating some first rate cost charges. The battery developer had beforehand focused a 10-80% quick cost in 15 minute, and reported that it has efficiently demonstrated it (see chart above). Listed below are some extra updates from QuantumScape’s Q2 report:

• The A0 prototype cells efficiently handed all security assessments with a hazard ranges of three or decrease as outlined by EUCAR and SAE J2464 requirements, together with nail penetration, overcharge, exterior quick circuit, and thermal stability testing as much as 300°C.
• QS’ beforehand laid out plans to implement a quick separator heat-treatment course of in manufacturing will roll out in two phases – Raptor and Cobra (I really like these names).
  • Raptor is already full and introduces a step-change course of permitting steady circulation warmth therapy to course of the separator movies quicker with much less complete warmth vitality exerted.
  • Raptor is predicted to help B0 prototype cell manufacturing samples in 2024, and QS expects preliminary qualifying manufacturing to start earlier than the top of 2023.
  • Cobra will construct off Raptor and add even quicker processing – significantly within the cell’s ceramics.
  • QuantumScape see’s Cobra as a possible sport changer in scaled manufacturing and is at the moment working prototypes earlier than an preliminary manufacturing system is applied on the QS-0 meeting line for B-sample cells.

QuantumScape ended Q2 2023 with over $900 million in liquidity and believes it has sufficient runway to proceed improvement into the second half of 2025. That’s all for now – till subsequent quarter!