The battery separator is a critical component for the safety of electric vehicle power batteries, so General Motors announced that it will cooperate with battery manufacturer Microvast to develop separator technology and will establish a battery in the United States. For the new facility, the U.S. Department of Energy will provide $200 million in funding for both companies’ development efforts.
The two companies will collaborate to develop new separator technologies aimed at improving the safety, charging performance and battery life of electric vehicles. This advanced technology will be designed to improve the thermal stability of electric vehicle batteries and is applicable to almost all types of lithium-ion batteries.
GM will share diaphragm and coating technology with Stafford, Texas-based Microvast. Kent Helfrich, GM’s chief technology officer and vice president of research and development, said:
"This partnership with Microvast supports our ongoing efforts to develop a North American-focused EV supply chain and make EVs accessible to every user. It will also provide us with groundbreaking battery separator technology that can be used in future Ultium batteries and, most importantly, support our ongoing commitment to safety."
Neither company has said where in the U.S. the new factory will be built, nor has it disclosed any time.
Last week, Electrek reported that GM CEO Mary Barra said the company’s electric vehicle models will receive the full Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credit within two to three years:
"We think that, initially, we'll be eligible for $3750 and we'll be fully qualified over the next two to three years to $7500."
In order for its EVs to qualify for the IRA EV tax credit, GM needs to meet two requirements:
Critical Minerals ($3,750) – Beginning next year, at least 40 percent of the value of critical minerals used in electric vehicle batteries will need to be produced or assembled in the U.S. with its free-trade partners, or recycled in North America. Demand rises by 10% every year after that. For example, 50% is needed in 2024, 60% in 2025, and 70% in 2026.
Battery packs ($3,750) – Beginning next year, at least half of the value of EV battery packs will need to be produced or assembled in North America. Again, this demand will grow at a rate of 10% per year.
