At the opening of the new Mirafiori Battery Technology Center in Turin, Italy, group engineering leader Ned Couric told Autocar that today's batteries are too heavy and that lightweight batteries and efficient cell packaging are vital to moving forward.
Today's lithium-ion batteries are among the heaviest components in electric vehicles, and their weight can negatively impact performance, efficiency and safety. For example, the GMC Hummer EV battery alone weighs 1,280kg, which is equivalent to the weight of an entire Honda Civic.
Earlier in 2023, Stellantis invested in California battery company Lyten, which develops lightweight lithium-sulfur batteries. The San Jose company claims lower material costs, 60 percent weight reduction and heat resistance.
The batteries were also stripped of nickel, manganese, cobalt and graphite. Cobalt has well-documented negative impacts on humans and the environment, and several companies are eliminating it from their batteries.
Stellantis has also mentioned sodium-ion batteries as a possible alternative. CATL developed the first generation sodium-ion battery and claims high energy density, fast charging capability and improved thermal stability. Chinese state-owned automaker Chery is reported to be the first automaker to use sodium-ion (Na-ion) CATL batteries.
The group is also working with France's National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and TotalEnergies' Saft , to develop a battery that integrates inverter and charger functions in a module to free up space, reduce cost and increase range. This solution is called the Intelligent Battery Integrated System (IBIS), and Stellantis has filed several patents for it.