EV battery startup aims to slash cost by eliminating lithium and cobalt

John E. Kaye
- Published
- Home, Sustainability, Technology

Alsym Energy, a seven-year-old Massachusetts startup, aims to halve the cost of electric vehicle batteries with a new design that eliminates lithium and cobalt, two increasingly costly ingredients in many current EV batteries, the company has said. One of the company’s goals is to help make EVs more affordable for a greater portion of the world’s population, a key executive said. Alsym has partnered with one of India’s top automakers to jointly develop the new battery, Mukesh Chatter, Chief Executive and co-founder, said in an interview.
Alsym’s battery has the potential to be safer, more sustainable and easier to recycle because it is made with non-toxic, non-flammable materials that are readily available, said Chatter, who has a graduate degree in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Chatter said his wife and long-time business partner Priti Chatter, who holds degrees in chemistry, biology and finance, came up with the company’s larger mission: “She said, we need to identify technologies that are affordable that can have an impact on the lives of at least one billion people. That’s how it started.”
Alsym’s battery, which can also be used for stationary energy storage and marine applications, uses such relatively common materials as manganese and aluminium, he said.
Eventually the company hopes to build its battery cells with a manufacturing partner, Chatter said, with a target production date of 2025. The company has raised $32m from Helios Climate Ventures and other investors.
Further information
RECENT ARTICLES
-
New IBM–NASA AI aims to forecast solar flares before they knock out satellites or endanger astronauts
-
AI is powering the most convincing scams you've ever seen
-
British firm Skyral to help Mongolia tackle pollution with AI traffic modelling
-
The nuclear medicine breakthrough transforming cancer care
-
Second to none: the watchmaker who redefined time for women
-
How AI agents are supercharging cybercrime
-
The CEO making culture the driving force for innovation
-
Penelope J. Corfield on the secret gestures that shape society
-
In Africa, hepatitis B is a silent killer. And a $1 test could stop it
-
'Our real rivals are TikTok and Netflix’ – iGaming firm Soft2Bet sets out strategy for global expansion
-
AI agents are just the start. Here’s what comes next
-
Why cybersecurity deserves a place in the political spotlight
-
Outpacing cyber threats, winning the race
-
Who is really cutting emissions? These satellites will tell us
-
New Science Matters supplement out now — Europe’s boldest ideas in one place
-
New app reveals hidden health risks in everyday foods
-
Alzheimer’s vaccine enters human trials aiming to stop disease before symptoms begin
-
US researchers develop storm-resistant drone to improve extreme weather forecasting
-
Robot folds 800 napkins in 24 hours as Dyna Robotics launches first commercial-ready embodied AI
-
New breast cancer radiotherapy technology launches in Europe
-
Blockchain boom could create over 1 million jobs by 2030, new report claims
-
Why modern computer games aren’t a patch on the classics
-
Watch: Robotic bellboys checking in to a hotel near you soon
-
Soft2Bet reflects on eight years of leadership and philanthropy in new film featuring CEO Uri Poliavich
-
Late Star Trek creator’s family donates $1M to heart disease research