Other than Tesla, start-ups are developing interesting energy storage solutions

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly common on the streets and the electricity grid. EVs have reached a mature technology today because they are superior to internal combustion engines (ICE) inefficiency, endurance, durability, acceleration capacity and simplicity. Energy storage systems, usually batteries, are essential for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and all-electronic vehicles (EVs). Tesla has contributed a large form of innovative technologies when it comes to powering EVs with an energy storage system. However, other start-ups are developing lucrative energy storage solutions.

Top five start-ups featuring energy storage technology

Advanco

Advanco was co-founded by Alexander Giaru and Shiva Adireddy in 2014. The New Orleans-based energy storage start-up is focusing on combining nanotechnology with chemical engineering principles. The start-up aims to increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by 30-40 pc without sacrificing battery life or raising the cost of batteries. Advanco batteries can be used in IoT devices, consumer electronics and electronic vehicles. The company simultaneously improves energy density, reduces total cost, can scale to global demand and fits into existing battery manufacturing infrastructure.

Advanco has attracted investments from Y Combinator, DCVC, Future Shape and Mitsui Kinzoku-SBI Material Innovation Fund.

EnPower

EnPower was co-founded by Adrian Yao, who currently serves as the CTP. The company is led by Annette Finsterbush, the president and CEO. EnPower solves today’s energy challenges by building better batteries. It is a battery technology company developing scalable, engineering-based innovations to unlock the potential of lithium-ion. EnPower is developing a battery that is engineered to withstand a wide range of use conditions for a long period of time.

EnPower opened its first manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona after receiving the first patent for electrode architecture a year before in 2018. Recently, the company gained high traction, including a completed technical evaluation with an automotive OEM. EnPower first shipped samples to a US government organisation.

Ion Storage Systems

Ion Storage Systems (ISS) is a University of Maryland spin-out that was recently awarded a US$2 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency. The start-up was co-founded by Eric Wachsman, Greg Hitz and Venkataraman Thangadurai to create the most energy-dense and safe batteries possible. Currently, Ricky Hanna is the CEO and Board Director of ISS.

The company is building a solid-state battery featuring multi-layers porous garnet-based architecture with lithium metal anode, extremely thin ceramic separators and cathode-agnostic design. The batteries are intrinsically safe, mechanically robust and durable, and non-inflammable.

Nanotech Energy

Nanotech Energy, founded by Dr Jack Kavanaugh in 2014 harnesses the power of graphene, a new material which is hard to describe without a heavy dependence on superlatives. The company believes that graphene will facilitate the battery of tomorrow and could be a key part of batteries that charge in friction of traditional timeframes while running much longer than what’s currently available on the market.

Early in 2020, Nanotech Energy raised US$27.5 million in series C funding, which the firm aims to use to expand its production of graphene batteries, conductive epoxies, conductive inks and electromagnetic interference shielding paints and films.

Northvolt

Northvolt was founded by Paolo Cerruti, Peter Carlsson Carl-Erik Lagercrantz and Harald Mix in 2016. The Stockholm-headquartered company develops greenest battery cell and has one of Europe’s largest battery factories. Northvolt batteries come with different characteristics and in numerous shapes and sizes. The company provides next-generation lithium-ion battery manufacturing in order to deliver affordable and high-quality batteries.