Kyocera and 24M Develop World’s First SemiSolid Lithium-ion Battery System with Improved Safety, Longer Life, and Lower Cost

Plans to Build Full-Scale Mass Production System Following Initial Success with Pilot

KYOTO, Japan & CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kyocera Corporation (President: Hideo Tanimoto) and 24M (President & CTO: Naoki Ota) announced today that Kyocera has formally launched its residential energy storage system, Enerezza, the world’s first system built using 24M’s novel SemiSolid electrode manufacturing process. In addition, Kyocera has extended its commitment to 24M’s unique manufacturing platform with plans to start full-scale mass production in the fall of 2020.

In June 2019, Kyocera began pilot production of 24M’s SemiSolid battery technology to validate its use in residential energy storage systems in the Japanese market. Based on the successful pilot, Kyocera recently rolled out its full Enerezza product line — a 24M-based residential energy storage system available in 5.0 kWh, 10.0 kWh, and 15.0 kWh capacities designed to meet diverse customer needs.

“Kyocera and our customers benefit from long battery life, unparalleled safety, and the low-cost approach enabled by 24M’s unique manufacturing process,” said Toshihide Koyano, Deputy General Manager of Corporate Solar Energy Group at Kyocera. “At Kyocera, we believe that 24M’s SemiSolid technology is the emerging standard for lithium-ion battery manufacturing. We are delighted to be the first company to deliver residential energy storage products using 24M’s novel process.”

24M’s innovative manufacturing process delivers market-leading price-performance. SemiSolid electrodes use no binder, mixing electrolyte with active materials to form a clay-like slurry with unique attributes. As a result, the 24M process eliminates the need for a significant amount of inactive materials and capital-intensive processes like drying and electrolyte filling, thus dramatically reducing manufacturing cost.

“Kyocera’s launch of the Enerezza residential energy storage product line marks a significant milestone for 24M,” said Naoki Ota, President and CTO of 24M. “After many years of hard work, our technology is commercially available thanks to our dedicated partner Kyocera.”

About KYOCERA

Kyocera Corporation (TOKYO:6971) (https://global.kyocera.com/), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of industrial and automotive components, semiconductor packages, electronic devices, solar power generating systems, printers, copiers and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2019, the company’s consolidated sales revenue totaled 1.62 trillion yen (approx. USD14.6 billion). Kyocera appears on the “Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators 2018-19” list by Clarivate Analytics and is ranked #655 on Forbes magazine’s 2019 “Global 2000” list of the World’s Largest Public Companies.

About 24M

24M answers the world’s need for affordable energy storage by enabling a new, more cost-effective solution–SemiSolid lithium-ion technology. By re-inventing the design of the battery cell as well as the manufacturing method, 24M solves the critical, decades-old challenge associated with the world’s preferred energy storage chemistry: reducing its high cost while improving its performance. Founded and led by some of the battery industry’s foremost inventors, scientists and entrepreneurs, 24M is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, please visit www.24-m.com.