Lyten, a company focused on supermaterial applications and lithium-sulphur batteries, has announced an investment of over $1bn to build a lithium-sulphur battery gigafactory in Nevada, US.
The facility, located near Reno, aims for an annual production capacity of up to 10GWh of batteries once fully operational. Phase 1 is planned to be operational in 2027.
According to Lyten, the factory will produce cathode active materials (CAM), lithium metal anodes, and fully assemble lithium-sulphur battery cells in cylindrical and pouch formats. Since May 2023, Lyten has been manufacturing CAM, lithium metal anodes, and assembling batteries at its semi-automated pilot facility in San Jose, California.
Lyten co-founder and CEO Dan Cook said: “Today is the latest milestone in Lyten’s nine-year history. Lithium-sulphur is a leap in battery technology, delivering a high energy density, light weight battery built with abundantly available local materials and 100% US manufacturing.”
Lyten’s lithium-sulphur battery cells are claimed to be up to 40% lighter weight compared to lithium-ion batteries and 60% lighter than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
The company stated that it uses local materials, removing the need for mined minerals like nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, which reduces the overall cost of lithium-sulphur batteries at scale.
The lithium-sulphur batteries are expected to enter the micromobility, space, drone, and defence sectors in 2024 and 2025.
Lyten claims to have a pipeline of potential customers, and the planned Nevada gigafactory is part of its strategy to meet this demand.
The proposed facility will span 1.25 million square feet on a 125-acre campus in the Reno Air Logistics Park. It will initially employ approximately 200 people, expanding to over 1,000 at full capacity.
Lyten has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with industrial developer Dermody Properties to develop the lithium-sulphur battery gigafactory on land owned by the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority.
Founded in 2015, Lyten has received over $425m in investments from Stellantis, FedEx, Walbridge, Honeywell, the European Investment Fund, and the Luxembourg Future Fund, among others.
