The lithium-ion battery is currently the technology of choice to power portable electronics and electric vehicles. However, rising material costs and lithium supply chain issues have spurred the search for alternative battery chemistries to drive high-performance mobility applications. Texas-based startup Group1 has responded to this need with the development of a more sustainable device in the form of the world’s first 18650 potassium-ion battery (KIB).

This type of battery possesses the same form factor as the commonly utilized 18650 lithium-ion battery, with a diameter of 18 mm and a length of 65 mm. Reliance on this cell format ensures the KIB can seamlessly integrate into existing devices and applications, eliminating the need for costly redesigns.

The KIB offers a category of rechargeable batteries that employs potassium ions as the charge carrier, in contrast to the more prevalent lithium ions. Potassium Prussian white is paired with a commercial-grade graphite anode and readily available electrolyte formulations and separators. Potassium is over a thousand times more abundant than lithium, easing supply chain issues and cost concerns.

The new battery operates at a nominal voltage of 3.7 V, thus guaranteeing compatibility with contemporary electronic devices and systems. The KIB has also demonstrated a trajectory toward achieving a gravimetric energy density of 160 Wh/kg to180 Wh/kg, which is on par with lithium iron phosphate lithium-ion batteries.