# Seeking the holy grail of batteries

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2022-07-21
- Length: 51m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries

## Summary

Sam Jaffe, VP of battery solutions at E-Source, discusses the competitive landscape of EV battery chemistries, tracing the historical shift between Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) driven by Chinese state policy and Tesla's success. He explains how automakers like GM, Stellantis, and Mercedes are moving from passive buyers to active co-developers with suppliers like LG and Samsung SDI to control battery design. Jaffe also analyzes the severe lithium supply squeeze, the capital-intensive nature of solid-state startups, and his renewed bullishness on vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications due to improved battery durability.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=2) Introduction and the Holy Grail of Batteries
- [3:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=232) LFP vs. NMC: History and Geopolitics
- [11:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=715) Automaker Control and Supply Chain Dynamics
- [20:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=1228) The Silicon Anode Startup Ecosystem
- [26:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=1597) Lithium Supply Squeeze and Price Forecasts
- [34:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=2064) Future Chemistries: Three Buckets and Solid State
- [39:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=2345) Fast Charging, Durability, and V2G
- [50:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries#t=3000) Industry Consolidation and Conclusion

## Topics

- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- E-Source (company)
- LFP (product)
- NMC (product)
- Tesla (company)
- CATL (company)
- LG (company)
- GM (company)
- Stellantis (company)
- Samsung SDI (company)
- Mercedes (company)
- Volkswagen (company)
- QuantumScape (company)
- Silicon Anode (product)
- Solid State (product)
- Albemarle (company)
- SQM (company)
- Panasonic (company)
- Northvolt (company)

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## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-21-seeking-the-holy-grail-of-batteries. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.