# Supercharging Lithium-Ion Batteries with Gene Berdichevsky of Sila Nanotechnologies

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2024-03-07
- Length: 40m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog

## Summary

Gene Berdichevsky, co-founder and CEO of Sila Nanotechnologies, explains how his team developed a composite silicon anode to overcome the energy density limits of traditional graphite in lithium-ion batteries. After leaving Tesla in 2008 to pursue material science, Berdichevsky spent over a decade iterating through 80,000 experiments to solve the mechanical expansion issues inherent in silicon anodes. The technology has now been deployed in Whoop fitness trackers and secured supply agreements with Mercedes-Benz and Panasonic for electric vehicles, promising 20-40% improvements in range and faster charging times.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=0) Introduction: Gene Berdichevsky and Sila Nanotechnologies
- [3:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=184) Tesla Days and the Battery Limitation
- [10:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=640) The Silicon Anode Problem and Solution
- [21:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=1302) 10 Years of Iteration and R&D
- [27:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=1669) Commercial Success with Whoop and EV Partners
- [33:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-03-07-supercharging-lithium-ion-batteries-with-gene-berdichevsky-of-sila-nanotechnolog#t=1986) Manufacturing Strategy and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Sila Nanotechnologies (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Whoop (product)
- Mercedes-Benz (company)
- Panasonic (company)
- Rivian (company)
- EQG (product)

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- [The EV market’s awkward teenage years](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-07-25-the-ev-markets-awkward-teenage-years) (Catalyst)
- [When will batteries take over the world?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-03-17-when-will-batteries-take-over-the-world) (Catalyst)
- [3D electrodes for Next Generation Batteries with Moshiel Biton, CEO and Co-founder of Addionics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2022-10-13-3d-electrodes-for-next-generation-batteries-with-moshiel-biton-ceo-and-co-founde) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [The promise and perils of sodium-ion batteries](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-02-20-the-promise-and-perils-of-sodium-ion-batteries) (Catalyst)
- [GM's big new battery tech push](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-06-26-gms-big-new-battery-tech-push) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

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