Factorial Energy opens solid-state battery plant, the largest assembly line of its kind in US

Solid-state battery developer Factorial Energy announced it has begun operations at its new state-of-the-art facility in Massachusetts. The new facility serves as a key milestone as Factorial looks to scale its solid-state technology for EV implementations.

Factorial Energy is a Massachusetts-based solid-state battery developer that has spent the last decade working to develop and eventually manufacture energy-dense technology for EV propulsion applications.

The company caught our eye this past January at CES, when it debuted a 100 Amp-hour (Ah) prototype of flagship product – the Factorial Electrolyte System Technology (FEST) solid-state cell. This proprietary battery technology offers compatibility with existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment that can enable automakers to transition to the advanced cells more seamlessly.

By May, Factorial shared that those solid-state cells had been UN certified to begin shipping to automakers to test for themselves before being integrated into new EV models, assumedly sending samples to joint venture partners like Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai Motor Group, and Stellantis (Factorial would not comment on those ventures).

With A-Sample battery cells now rolling out to OEMs, Factorial has commenced production at a brand new facility in its home state – quite possibly the largest assembly line for the technology in all the United States.

Factorial Energy’s new battery facility begins operations

Factorial shared details of its new state-of-the art plant this morning, ahead of an opening ceremony held right there in the Boston suburb of Methuen, Massachusetts. Governor Maura Healey and Methuen Mayor Neil Perry were in attendance.

The plant sits nearby its current R&D facility and headquarters and represents a $50 million investment in the state, creating up to 150 new jobs. The site’s current footprint offers space for up to a 200MWh assembly line, which is expected to be the largest solid-state battery assembly line in the country. Factorial CEO Siyu Huang spoke to today’s latest battery milestone:

We are thrilled to open our next-generation battery facility in Massachusetts as we scale our batteries for mass production. This facility will enable us to manufacture cells to meet the needs of our automotive partners and progress our mission to commercialize solid-state batteries. As a U.S. company, we’re also proud to contribute to the onshoring of battery manufacturing for EVs and advancement of battery innovation for a differentiated supply chain.

With the new facility now operational, Factorial appears to be on the fast track to reach pre-production of solid-state battery technology at volume, setting the stage for eventual mass production and the sale of actual EV models housing the cells.