Silicon anodes are currently leading the race to power electric vehicles, but solid-state batteries may eventually catch up.

• The excitement over silicon-based anodes for enhancing the performance and charging speed of EVs has intensified recently, while the anticipation surrounding solid-state batteries appears to have diminished.
• As global battery demand rises with the growth of EV sales, automakers are collaborating with cell manufacturers to accelerate the transition to full electrification.
• Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science at the U.S. government's Argonne National Laboratory, stated that if there's a horse race, silicon appears to be leading at the moment.

Next-generation battery technologies for electric vehicles are being commercialized, and silicon anodes are currently leading the way.

The excitement over silicon-based anodes for enhancing the performance and charging speed of EVs has intensified recently, while the anticipation surrounding solid-state batteries appears to have diminished.

As global battery demand rises with the growth of EV sales, automakers are collaborating with cell manufacturers to accelerate the transition to full electrification.

Car manufacturers such as Mercedes have invested heavily in silicon anodes to revolutionize the technology behind electric vehicles.

The potential of advanced silicon anode materials to enhance critical battery performance is immense, as noted in a recent report from consultancy IDTechEx. This potential has not gone unnoticed by carmakers and key players in the battery industry.

The warning was issued that challenges, including cycle life, shelf life, and most importantly, cost, must be addressed for widespread adoption.

Silicon anodes appear to provide an advantage in solid-state batteries, according to Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science at the U.S. government's Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago.

Srinivasan stated via videoconference to CNBC that if there is a horse race, silicon appears to be leading at present, but neither has been commercialized.

Recent data suggests that silicon-anode batteries have a longer calendar life of three to four years, contrary to the five-year prediction made by Srinivasan five years ago.

The calendar life of a battery measures the degradation of its performance over time, typically lasting until it can function at over 80% of its initial capacity, regardless of usage.

Although solid-state batteries are often touted as the future of sustainable driving, they still have a significant distance to travel before they can catch up with the recent advancements made by silicon anodes.

Srinivasan stated that the transition to solid-state batteries with metal components is still necessary, and this is why people are saying that the promise made earlier hasn't been fulfilled.

"Although it may take a few years, it doesn't mean we won't reach our destination. It's just that today, silicon is at a different stage of technological readiness."

Silicon anodes vs. solid-state batteries

Theoretically, silicon anodes can provide 10 times the energy density compared to graphite, which is commonly used in battery anodes. However, these materials tend to degrade quickly when a significant amount of silicon is used.

Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's senior research analyst, Rory McNulty, stated in an email to CNBC that silicon anodes and solid-state batteries are two emerging technology trends in the EV battery market that aim to improve high-performance battery cells.

Typically, better battery performance is achieved at the expense of longevity or safety, McNulty stated. For instance, silicon anodes are known to expand significantly during charging, which shortens the battery's lifespan.

McNulty stated that solid-state batteries were believed to enhance the stability of the electrolyte with high-performance electrode materials, addressing the challenges of utilizing high energy density materials such as silicon and lithium.

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries that have a liquid electrolyte, solid-state batteries have a solid electrolyte made from materials such as ceramics.

Both Toyota and Nissan from Japan, as well as China's SAIC Motor Corp, aim to bring solid-state batteries into mass production in the coming years. SAIC's MG brand plans to equip cars with solid-state batteries within the next 12 months.

Despite analysts' doubts, solid-state batteries may eventually become commercially available.

A strategic opportunity?

Georgi Georgiev, a battery raw materials analyst at consultancy Fastmarkets, stated via email to CNBC that silicon-based anodes are the next-generation technology in the anode field and will provide a solution for faster charging.

Several industry players, including established anode suppliers in China and South Korea, as well as new players like Taiwan's ProLogium and U.S. manufacturers Group14 and Sila Nanotechnologies, have been exploring the potential of silicon anodes.

In the West, silicon anode advances are viewed as a strategic opportunity to close the gap with China, which has a 98% market share in the global graphite-based anode supply chain for batteries, according to Georgiev.

Nevertheless, producing 100% silicon anode batteries presents significant technical challenges, including silicon expansion, which impacts their longevity. Several methods exist to manufacture silicon anodes.

ProLogium, a Taiwanese battery manufacturer, unveiled the world's first fully silicon anode battery at the Paris Motor Show last month, boasting that its new fast-charging battery system outperformed traditional lithium-ion batteries in terms of performance and charging efficiency, and addressed "critical industry challenges."

ProLogium announced that its 100% silicon anode battery can charge from 5% to 60% in just 5 minutes and reach 80% in 8.5 minutes, making it an unmatched achievement in the competitive EV market. This advancement will help to reduce charging times and extend the range of EVs.

Georgiev of Fastmarkets raised concerns about the commercialization of silicon anodes, specifically regarding the cost of production and whether any major silicon-anode producers can produce material at scale with consistent quality and competitive pricing, which are crucial for OEMs.

Silicon anodes are currently used as an additive to graphite-based anodes, but we anticipate that their share in anodes will increase in the future, although in combination with graphite. However, 100% silicon anodes may take longer to enter the mass market.