ION Storage Systems Commissions One of the Country's Largest Solid-State Battery Manufacturing Facilities

BELTSVILLE, Md., May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At a packed ceremony with special guests U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, Congressman Glenn Ivey and others, ION Storage Systems (ION), a Maryland-based manufacturer of safe, high energy density, fast-charging solid-state batteries (SSBs) commissioned one of the largest SSB manufacturing facilities in the United States. The state-of-the-art battery production pilot line, adjacent to the company's headquarters in Beltsville, MD is expected to begin manufacturing 1MWh of battery cells this year, growing to 10MWh by early 2025 with a longer-term goal of 500MWh of capacity by 2028. The facility is expected to bring skilled manufacturing jobs to Maryland over the next several years.

"The world is increasingly reliant on batteries for our cars, personal and medical devices, for a more resilient power grid and for national defense. Traditional Li-ION batteries simply haven't been up to the task," said Ricky Hanna, CEO of ION Storage Systems. "From the outset, our goal has been to develop an advanced solid-state battery that delivers enhanced power, reliability, and safety, all while being scalable in production. This new facility, one of the largest of its kind, marks a significant step towards realizing that vision."

In stark contrast to traditional lithium-ion batteries, ION's patented solid-state anodeless technology forgoes graphite and other less-sustainable materials while maximizing battery performance capabilities through its revolutionary 3-D, ceramic structure. ION's SSB architecture requires no compression, removing a long-time obstacle to the growth of SSBs. ION's battery also requires no swell budget, extensive cooling systems or heavy fire barriers, while accommodating existing and future cathode technologies translating to simple and cost-effective manufacturing at scale. ION's SSB is the first and only compressionless solid-state battery technology to achieve ARPA-E and DOE VTO Fast-Charge goals at room temperature.

ION, which recently announced that its anodeless and compressionless SSB experienced negligible degradation after cycle testing, is backed by a number of industry giants, including Toyota Ventures and Saint-Gobain. ION has been collaborating with the University of Maryland Center for Research in Extreme Batteries (CREB) to rigorously test its SSB battery before expanding into other markets including electric vehicles, energy storage, consumer electronics, and aerospace.

"As we transition to cleaner energy sources and reduce pollution, we need improved battery and energy storage technology. With federal funding from the Department of Energy, partnerships with the University of Maryland, and tax incentives through the Inflation Reduction Act, we are spurring new technological advancements to support homegrown, start-up businesses to power our clean energy future. Today's production launch shows how we can leverage the innovation and ingenuity at our institutions to generate American manufacturing jobs right here in Maryland," said Senator Van Hollen.

"The commissioning of the state-of-the-art production facility in Beltsville is a great leap forward for ION Storage Systems in safe green battery technology. I am proud that this company is born from the R&D of our flagship state school, the University of Maryland at College Park. Federal Grants from ARPA-E in the Department of Energy have furthered the development of this innovative technology, and collaboration with the University of Maryland and the Department of Defense ensures that we give our warfighters made-in-America technology that prevents adversaries from undercutting our national security capabilities. This technology also helps to stop the use of child and slave labor across the world in the mining of nickel and cobalt which are the predominant components of old portable battery technology. I commend ION in their innovation and look forward to more jobs generated and more green advances right here in the heart of my congressional district," said Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04).

About ION Storage Systems, Inc.

ION offers a uniquely adaptable solid-state battery solution for a variety of applications including defense and aerospace, consumer, electronics, electric vehicles, and grid storage. The product of a materials-science-based approach, ION's patented solid-state lithium metal technology can offer a battery without cobalt, nickel, and other less sustainable materials offering a variable architecture of revolutionary 3-D, ceramic structure, built with rapidly scalable manufacturing in mind. ION leverages a unique ceramic cell design that supports the use of current and next-gen cathode chemistries, promoting circularity and recycling, avoiding the issues and challenges of mining, and refining rare earth metals.

Acknowledgement of Support and Disclaimer

Research was sponsored by the Army Research Laboratory and was accomplished under Cooperative Agreement Number W911NF-22-2-0021. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the Army Research Office or the U.S. Government. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Government purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation herein.

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SOURCE ION Storage Systems