Graphene for Automotive

Levidian has unveiled its first prototype truck tire, combining graphene with carbon black in a new tread formulation. Launched this week at the Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, the graphene-enhanced natural rubber and butadiene rubber tire tread compound, typically used in commercial vehicle tires, has been shown to deliver significant improvements in the mechanical and dynamic properties of the tire.

Independent testing by the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (TARRC) has reportedly shown that the addition of Levidian’s 'net zero graphene' can deliver a reduction in rolling resistance of around 23%. Initial results have also indicated potential for reduced compound density that could allow for lighter tires overall. It was said that overall, this could deliver substantial improvements in fuel efficiency of 3-4%.  

Solidion Technology, an advanced battery technology solutions developer, began trading on NASDAQ (ticker symbol “STI”) on February 5, 2024. Solidion is the merged entity between Honeycomb Battery Company (HBC, Dayton, Ohio) and Nubia Brand International Co., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), based in Dallas, Texas.

Some see electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft as the next urban transportation technology breakthrough. At the heart of an eVTOL aircraft is a heavy battery pack. The amount of energy that can be stored in a battery pack with a reduced mass must be significantly increased before the eVTOL industry can literally take off. It is estimated that eVTOL aircraft needs a battery system with a gravimetric energy density > 400 Wh/kg. For an air taxi to carry more passengers, a battery cell energy density higher than 450 or even 500 Wh/kg will be required.

Chrysler recently announced its Halcyon Concept electric vehicle, that plans to incorporate Lyten’s lithium-sulfur EV batteries as part of its goal to achieve a lighter weight and longer-range vehicle powered by batteries that utilize no nickel or cobalt.

Chrysler's Halcyon Concept EV. image credit: BusinessWire

Chrysler’s announcement states the Halcyon "envisions incorporating breakthrough Lyten 800V lithium-sulfur EV batteries that do not use nickel, cobalt or manganese, resulting in an estimated 60% lower carbon footprint than today's best-in-class batteries and a pathway to achieve the lowest emissions EV battery on the global market."

Log9 Materials, an innovator in EV charging technologies which has been working on graphene-based battery solutions, and Trinity Cleantech, a comprehensive provider of sustainable solutions, have reportedly announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing India's electric vehicle (EV) industry. The companies will work to establish an interoperable charging network. 

Trinity Cleantech plans to deploy 2,000 public charging stations under its brand “Thunder+” across India by the end of the next financial year. It plans to lead the market in Type 6 fast chargers, which represent the next-generation standard for charging speed and convenience. Trinity’s Thunder Platform is designed to seamlessly integrate with Log9’s “Instacharge” platform, streamlining operations and enhancing user experience. They have committed to adhering to the BCA LEV DC standard (IS 17017-25 & IS 17017-2-6), which provides users with the confidence to charge anywhere securely. As the EV landscape continues to evolve, Log9 and Trinity are dedicated to adapting to technological advancements in connectors, protocols, and payment gateways, ensuring continued compatibility for years to come.

UK-based Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM) and Space Engine Systems (SES) from Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in various areas of SES’s Hello series of Aerospace and Space vehicles, focusing on using graphene for hypersonic applications.

GIM is working on the development and commercialization of advanced graphene-based solutions for composites, particularly in Graphene Space Habitat,
and also Type V hydrogen storage tanks. GIM is the largest Tier 1 partner in the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) at the University of Manchester.

NanoXplore has announced that it has been awarded three programs from two existing customers, one large commercial vehicle OEM and one industrial equipment manufacturer, to supply exterior parts of vehicles.  These components are used in both internal combustion engines and electric vehicles.

Production for the first program will begin in 2024 while the start of production for the other two programs is planned for 2026. These programs generally last for a period of 10 years. The Corporation estimates that these programs will generate CAD$24 million (over USD$17,700,000) in annual sales at mature volumes along with a one-time tooling revenue of CAD$10 million (over USD$7,400,000). The Corporation has reportedly already secured the related manufacturing equipment to fulfill these orders and the expansion of the North Carolina facility is ongoing. These investments are part of NanoXplore’s 5-year strategic plan.

NanoXplore and its wholly owned subsidiary, VoltaXplore, a silicon-graphene-enhanced Li-ion battery manufacturer for the Electric Vehicle and grid storage markets, have announced that VoltaXplore has agreed on commercial terms for the supply of Li-ion battery cells with a well-known commercial vehicle OEM. 

The batteries include graphene in the anode (graphene-silicon additives) and battery cells will reportedly be produced in VoltaXplore’s gigafactory starting from 2026. The agreement is for 1 GWh per year for a duration of 10 years following a pricing formula that passes through raw material cost to the customer.

The Graphene Flagship, Europe's $1 billion graphene research initiative, has summed up its progress in advancing graphene-based innovations for automotive in the last ten years. The project examines, among other topics, how graphene can address key challenges in the automotive sector, such as fuel efficiency, recycling, and environmental impact.

Graphene has the potential to drive significant advancements in the automotive industry — from strengthening structural components to improving electrochemical energy storage (i.e., Batteries) efficiency and safety in electric cars as well as enhancing the performance of the self-driving car. The Graphene Flagship has orchestrated a number of projects researching the benefits of graphene in automotive applications and how vehicles can be improved. The Graphene Flagship reports it is now seeing this research and development come to fruition. Listed below are the automotive-related advancements that were achieved.

Haydale has announced that it will be a key contributor to Viritech's development of fuel cell hydrogen electric vehicles (FCHEVs).

Viritech, a developer of high-performance hydrogen powertrain solutions for the automotive industry, has secured a major role in Ford Motor Company's three-year hydrogen fuel cell E-Transit trial and Haydale will lead the development of new functionalized materials and resins for Type V pressure vessels to support Viritech's proprietary integrated mounting system Graph-Pro™.

Stellantis and Lyten have announced that Stellantis Ventures, the corporate venture fund of Stellantis, invested in Lyten to accelerate the commercialization of Lyten 3D Graphene™ applications for the mobility industry, including the LytCell™ Lithium-Sulfur EV battery, lightweighting composites, and novel on-board sensing. 

Lyten will aim to leverage the tunability of the material to enable enhanced vehicle performance and customer experience while decarbonizing the transportation sector. Lyten’s tunable materials platform has demonstrated significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and will advance the transition to sustainable mobility.