August 4 News: According to Interesting Engineering, Group1 has announced the launch of the world's first potassium-ion battery using a 18650 cylindrical casing. This breakthrough development is expected to provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional
lithium-ion batteries.
Group1 CEO Alexander Girau stated, "We are excited to introduce the world's first 18650 potassium-ion battery."
Unlike common lithium-ion batteries, potassium-ion batteries use potassium ions as charge carriers. The new battery adopts the same size specifications as the widely used
18650 lithium-ion battery, with a diameter of 18 mm and a length of 65 mm. This design allows potassium-ion batteries to be seamlessly integrated into existing devices and applications without the need for expensive redesigns.
Alexander Girau mentioned that this new battery has shown excellent performance after years of research and development. It boasts an outstanding cycle life, maintaining high capacity even after numerous charge and discharge cycles, which is crucial for applications such as electric vehicles. Additionally, the battery has strong discharge performance, effectively providing power when needed.
It is understood that the battery operates at a nominal voltage of 3.7V, ensuring compatibility with modern electronic devices and systems. Furthermore, the battery's energy density can reach 160-180 Wh/kg, comparable to lithium iron phosphate batteries. Group1 stated that potassium-ion batteries have excellent cycle life and discharge performance, making them ideal for high-performance mobile applications such as electric vehicles and portable electronic devices.
Notably, potassium-ion batteries use common commercial components, including graphite anodes, separators, and electrolyte formulations. This not only simplifies the supply chain but also reduces dependence on critical minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and lithium.
Group1 stated that this potassium-ion battery, utilizing their exclusive Kristonite cathode material, is a significant breakthrough in battery technology. It can be a strong alternative to lithium iron phosphate batteries and sodium-ion batteries.
