November 24, 2024: British battery developer, Echion, and Brazilian niobium company, CBMM, have opened a niobium-based anode material production plant in Araxá, Brazil which they say is poised to revolutionize the lithium-ion battery industry by enabling ultra-fast charging and enhanced performance.

According to the companies, the plant is the largest of its kind in the world, with an annual production capacity of 2,000 tonnes, and marks a major step forward in the companies’ joint goal of expanding the use of niobium in battery production.

The new plant will facilitate the first mass production of Echionʼs patented XNO anode material which enables production of lithium-ion batteries that can be charged quickly and safely.  Echion claims the production capacity is sufficient for an annual battery production of approximately 1GWh.

The anode material is also said to maintain high energy density even at extreme temperatures and deliver high performance for more than 10,000 charge cycles. Echion say the material is specifically designed for use in heavy-duty industrial, commercial, and public transportation vehicles.

Jean de La Verpillière, CEO of Echion Technologies, said the opening of the production plant created robust supply capacity to meet the significant commercial demand: “XNO is already having a positive impact on our cell manufacturing customers, downstream OEMs, and end-users. Echion is beginning to trade at scale.”