Elevated Materials Secures $50M DOE Grant to Build 3.5 GW Battery Material Production Plant
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding half of the construction efforts of California-based company Elevated Materials’ planned 3.5 GW battery production facility through a $50 million grant.
Ulta-thin lithium film manufacturer Elevated Materials will receive $50 million in matching funds through DOE’s Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing Grants program. As part of the program’s structure, DOE requires selected companies to provide 50% in private cost share.
The award was part of a larger $500 million package distributed in August across seven domestic projects looking to expand U.S. critical mineral and material processing. DOE’s 50% backing will help Elevated Materials fully fund its $100 million budget for an advanced lithium film manufacturing facility.
The exact location and timeline of this planned plant is still to be determined.
“The United States has made advanced battery manufacturing a national priority, and securing a domestic supply of critical materials that significantly increases energy density is central to that effort,” said Jim Cushing, CEO of Elevated Materials, in a statement.
Cushing explained that Elevated Materials developed its tech in California with support from DOE’s R&D programs. As it works toward scaling production capacity to gigawatt scale, the planned facility will reportedly focus on commercializing lithium-metal films and prelithiated materials as a new domestic source.
The prelithiation process introduces lithium ions into electrode materials to offset irreversible capacity loss and enhance energy density in lithium-ion batteries before full assembly, according to a ScienceDirect article. Designed to support multiple battery architectures, Elevated Materials' proprietary ELi lithium metal films aim to directly solve this first-cycle capacity loss to extend overall battery lifespan.
Elevated Materials notes that these films enable advanced anode architectures across electric vehicles, consumer electronics, defense and aviation applications and grid-scale energy storage. In February, the company celebrated its first anniversary, having shipped products to more than 30 customers worldwide, including delivery of more than 100 kilometers (approximately 62 miles) of lithium film to a single client.