Common Motors mentioned on Wednesday it is main a $60 million financing spherical in Mitra Chem, a California-based startup working to develop lower-cost batteries for electrical automobiles.

Mitra Chem, based by veterans of Tesla and Toyota, is working to develop new forms of batteries primarily based on lithium iron phosphate chemistry. The batteries, abbreviated LFP primarily based on the weather’ chemical symbols, are of nice curiosity to EV makers as a result of they do with out costly minerals like cobalt and nickel, which means they price lower than normal lithium-ion cells.

Tesla, Rivian and Ford Motor are among the many automakers utilizing LFP cells of their extra reasonably priced fashions.

LFP cells have confirmed to be fairly sturdy in EVs. However they’ve an obstacle: Their energy density is decrease than normal cells. Meaning an EV wants extra LFP battery cells, and thus extra weight, to match the vary of an identical mannequin powered by standard batteries.

As well as, most LFP cells which might be presently accessible are made by Chinese language corporations — presenting a problem for automakers aiming to construct EVs that qualify for U.S. subsidies.

Mitra Chem is engaged on a variation of the LFP battery chemistry that provides manganese to the batteries’ cathodes, in a bid to extend the battery cells’ energy density whereas retaining the LFP price benefit. The corporate is utilizing what it calls an “AI-powered platform” that, it says, significantly accelerates the method of attempting new battery chemistries because it goals to hit simply the correct system.

“Our battery supplies R&D facility can synthesize and take a look at 1000’s of cathode designs month-to-month, ranging in dimension from grams to kilograms,” mentioned Mitra Chem CEO Vivas Kumar in a press convention forward of the announcement. “These processes drive considerably shorten studying cycles, enabling shorter time to marketplace for new battery cell formulation.”

Gil Golan, a GM vp charged with rushing up the method of bringing new EV applied sciences to market, mentioned that the auto big is stepping up its concentrate on potential breakthroughs in battery applied sciences.

“Mitra Chem’s labs, strategies and expertise will match properly with our personal R&D workforce’s work,” Golan mentioned.

Golan mentioned that if Mitra Chem is profitable, its batteries may seem in GM’s automobiles later on this decade.

The specifics of GM’s funding in Mitra Chem weren’t disclosed.