24M extends the usability of its electrolyte to other cell chemistries

About a year ago, US battery cell developer 24M introduced a new electrolyte called Eternalyte, which was developed specifically for lithium-metal batteries. This electrolyte can now also be used for silicon and graphite-based batteries.

According to 24M, the Eternalyte electrolyte is designed to significantly improve the charging speed and performance of today’s batteries in cold temperatures. It was first unveiled in February 2024 and initially developed for lithium-metal batteries. Now, the range has been extended to include silicon- and graphite-based batteries used in applications that require high power and low-temperature performance “with outstanding rapid charging rates and longevity,” says 24M.

According to the battery cell developer, the main advantage of Eternalyte is its fast charging rate, which can give a typical electric vehicle an additional range of about 200 miles (320 kilometres) in less than four minutes (charging from 15% to 80% SOC). Furthermore, 24M claims high charging performance with up to three times the ionic conductivity (~26mS/cm at 25°C, ~0.6 Li+ transfer number) than standard electrolytes.

Performance at low temperatures is also said to be very high: the high ionic conductivity maintains battery performance at very low temperatures, according to 24M. When compared on a cell-by-cell basis, Eternalyte cells retain over 80% of their capacity at a rate of 1C and a cell temperature of -20°C, whereas cells with conventional electrolytes generally lose more than 80% of their capacity. That means EVs with Eternalyte experience little to no range reduction in cold weather, compared to EVs with present-day electrolytes, which can lose 20-30% or more of their capacity in cold weather.

“Originally designed for lithium metal batteries, we quickly realized that the transformative nature of Eternalyte has far reaching benefits for all types of batteries,” said Naoki Ota, 24M CEO. “We are excited to introduce the expanded Eternalyte family, one of the few chemistry innovations that can be implemented immediately to radically improve performance of today’s batteries.”

Volkswagen acquired a 25 per cent stake in 24M at the beginning of 2022. However, the carmaker sat out the last round of financing for 24M in September 2024. The round, which raised $87 million, was led by Nuovo+, a battery subsidiary of the Thai energy and petroleum company PTT Group. The financing round gave 24M a total valuation of $1.3 billion.
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