Is This Black Powder the Secret Solution to EV Charging Woes?

Plugging in our phones at night and monitoring their percentage throughout the day is a fixture of modern life, and the push toward electric cars stands to create even more charging anxiety. But battery materials company Group14 has developed a silicon material that could make these obsessive habits something to laugh about in the future.

If you follow battery technology, you may roll your eyes at another headline about a “revolutionary” new formula, and to be fair, Group14 makes some familiar claims. All of them say they have a “breakthrough” that will help batteries hold two times the amount of energy—an EV with a 300-mile range would have 600; your phone battery could last multiple days—and charge in minutes.

Group14 offices in Washington state (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

But unlike the others, Group14 appears much further along. At an on-site tour of its Washington state headquarters, PCMag learned that Group14 is already shipping its patented black powder, dubbed SCC55, by the ton to companies that are testing in their products. With big names like Huawei, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, BYD, and Panasonic potentially on its customer list, and two full-scale plants under construction, we may finally see these next-gen batteries in products by the late 2020s.

Why Should We Want Better Batteries?

Patents line the walls of Group14’s headquarters. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Group14’s headquarters is located in Woodinville, Wash., a wine-tasting destination 30-40 minutes from Seattle. The nearby universities provide a pool of young talent, many with dyed hair, science degrees, and a desire to build a better world. The transition to clean air and renewable energy requires batteries to store solar and wind power.

“I had a moment during the pandemic when the photos started showing the Himalayas in Delhi, or the Santa Monica mountains in LA, in a way we hadn’t seen in 50-60 years,” says Grant Ray, VP of Global Market Strategy at Group14 and my tour guide. “The way it cleared up with such a profound beauty. That’s what I want to see in 20 years.”

A Group14 employee tests materials in the lab. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Ray also spoke about his vision for a highly mobile society. Just as previous battery breakthroughs took hefty computers out of “the computer room” and into slim laptop bags, upcoming innovations may allow us to drive around remote areas for days without refueling.

“The big thing that rechargeable batteries gave us was mobility in our technology we never had before,” he says. “My hope is when we get silicon batteries throughout the world we can live a fully untethered technological life.”

Liars, Damn Liars, and Battery Suppliers

That sounds great, but why hasn’t it happened? An old saying in the battery industry holds a clue: “There are liars, damn liars, and battery suppliers.” In other words, no one can figure it out, and claims that they have are a dime a dozen. So why should we believe Group14?

During my solo tour of Group14 HQ, I had a golden opportunity to grill Ray for proof that it’s not selling a false bill of goods. He would not name any customers, at least not at first.

“We’re already in the phones of the largest mobile phone maker in China,” he says. “Does it start with X?” I asked. He smiled and said, “Actually, no. I’ll say millions of phones in China have our materials.” A quick scan of Huawei’s website shows multiple charging-related benefits, and rumors of new products having silicon batteries.

Group14 also made it public that ATL, a large Chinese battery manufacturer that led Group14’s Series A funding round, received its first shipment of SCC55 in early 2023 for use in smartphones.

A vial of silicon material intended for a new customer testing out the product for the first time. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

“The Asian markets tend to be more hungry for new technology,” he says. “There will be a time when US phones have it.”

Speaking from his prior experience working at a Chinese company, Ray attributes the delays to America’s product development processes and layers of bureaucracy that can slow things down (presumably resulting in safer, higher-quality products.)

The same story goes for EVs. US automakers must meet a long list of requirements before they can sell a vehicle. The one holding back Group14’s products from hitting dealers is “dual-sourcing.” All vehicle components must come from at least two plants, so if one shuts down the product does not have to come off the market.

Those concerns will be abated once two new facilities are completed, one in Moses Lake, Wash., and one in Korea. The latter is a joint venture with battery maker SK, which supplies packs to Ford as well as Korea-based Hyundai and Kia. The bulk of Group14’s demand comes from EV makers.

“Are you working with Hyundai and Kia?” I asked. On this one, he gave me a pretty definitive “We’re shipping to them.” So, yes.

Mockup of a joint venture plant under construction in Korea. (Credit: Group14/SK)

How It’s Made: No Pictures Speaks 1,000 Words

What is this magical powder that has intrigued some of the biggest companies in the world?

As we walked through the factory, the Group14 team asked me to hand over my camera at times to ensure I would not capture the most sensitive IP. But I did get to see the materials up close, and Ray gave a brief overview of the surprisingly simple manufacturing process.

Grant Ray and Emily Dreibelbis on the factory floor. (Credit: Colleen Rubart/Group14)

First, they put “two commercially available products” through a reactor to create a carbon solution, which looks a bit like volcanic ash. Second, they mill that carbon down to a small molecule, or “the perfect nano spec.” Third, the milled carbon goes through a second reactor to inject silane (a gaseous form of silicon) into it. The molecule now has carbon, silicon, and “void space,” or extra room Group14 has engineered into the materials that allow them to expand and contract without busting out of the battery pack, a problem for silicon batteries in the past.

Milled carbon ready to go from step one to step two. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Finally, the powder goes through quality control, into a bag, and out to a customer. “It’s a wonderfully simple, elegant solution,” Ray says.

The material swaps into existing battery processes, specifically in the anode to replace or complement graphite. Each EV requires several bags of powder, though it depends on whether they blend it with graphite, maybe 10-15%, or create a 100% silicon anode. More silicon means higher price and performance, but Group14 has worked to keep the cost as close to graphite as possible for a one-to-one replacement.

A bag of SCC55 ready to ship to a customer. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Silicon is a highly abundant element, without any of the controversies plaguing other battery minerals such as cobalt, The Washington Post reports. It comes from “everywhere, not one specific country,” according to Ray, who listed South America, Europe, Asia, and the US as sourcing options. The graphite it replaces is nearly all sourced from China, up to 70% of the global supply, according to the US New & World Report. Silicon, on the other hand, is primarily found in sand (mined, not scraped from beaches).

On top of developing the material, Group14’s equally challenging task has been figuring out how to scale up production to the level large companies require. “We basically locked ourselves in a room for 30 days because nothing was working,” Ray says. “Then one scientist at two in the morning had a eureka moment on what was needed to scale it. The material itself and the machinery we use to make it is the genius.”

Employees slot their hands into exterior gloves to work inside the santized glass cabinet. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

‘Most of the Demand We Have Is for EVs’

The small Woodinville, Wash. plant could crank out enough powder for all the wireless earbuds in the world, Ray says, but that’s not the focus. “Most of the demand we have is for EVs.”

Their future relies on better batteries to solve range anxiety, make charging as fast as refueling with gas, and improve longevity. Plus, their giant batteries require more material.

Ray claims “nearly all” major automotive OEMs have received shipments of SCC55, some by the ton—a sign of widespread, near-commercial readiness, as opposed to a small, isolated lab test. They’re putting it in cars on the road, just not ones we can buy yet.

Lab equipment at Group14 (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Group14 is in testing with “95% of the world’s battery manufacturers,” Ray says, which is required to bring silicon batteries to the masses. When I asked about BYD and Panasonic, he said, “Well how would you get to 95% without them?” Panasonic supplies batteries for Tesla, while BYD dominates the global market with higher sales than Tesla.

Polestar announced in April 2024 that its “silicon-dominant” battery cells from Storedot, a Group14 partner, charged a Polestar 5 prototype from 10-80% in just 10 minutes.

Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche are also potential clients, as Volkswagen Group owns all three and Porsche led the Series C funding round with a $400 million contribution. Group14 also purchased a silane gas company in Germany, which gives it “an amazing foothold in Europe to be able to deliver to our partners.”

These companies are negotiating to secure their supply of Group14’s materials for future products. Since multiple OEMs purchase batteries from suppliers like SK and Panasonic, they are working directly with Group14 to ensure those suppliers have enough material for their vehicles.

A Secret Project for an Exciting, Uncertain Future

Still, the future is unknown. “Is it going to be a sedan, consumer electronic, or an eVTOL that comes out [in the US] first?” Ray says. He expects vehicles with Group14-powered batteries to crop up at auto shows starting in 2025, though perhaps in Asia. And we’ve seen those timelines pushed back again and again, most recently with the electric G-Wagen. Mercedes is working with another silicon battery company, Sila, for that one.

Group14 scientists take notes as they test various formulas. (Credit: Emily Dreibelbis)

Ray hopes Group14’s main legacy will not be SCC55, but rather a project that’s in the works now. “I wish I could say it,” he says. “It’s something the science community has heard of, that could deliver radical performance without harming the world.” Start the betting now.