Could Vacuum Company Give EV Market A Boost?

Vacuum manufacturer Dyson has invested $15m in an innovative energy storage company that could potentially provide electric cars with cheaper, lighter, and more powerful batteries that could run 600 miles on one charge.

Sakti3, a spin-out company from the University of Michigan, has produced a solid state battery that removes the need for the liquid that is traditionally found in today's lithium-ion cells.

The liquid acts as an aqueous electrolyte, but has a number of downsides, including adding weight, increasing fire risk, and reducing the power density of the battery.

The Ann Arbor-based company is currently focusing on developing smaller batteries for consumer electronics, such as vacuum cleaners and mobile phones, using its alternative solid state design. But it has also set its sights on potentially providing batteries for electric vehicles in the longer term.

The company has already secured investment in previous fundraising rounds from General Motors, Khosla Ventures, Maplin investor Beringea, and Japanese tech giant Itochu.

As part of the deal, Dyson will help Sakti3 commercialize the batteries and Sir James Dyson said he was hoping to see the battery used in Dyson products within the next three years.

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