Jeep and Dodge owner Stellantis announced a new partnership on Thursday to develop new EV batteries with “game-changing” energy density. Stellantis said the new batteries are expected to unlock significantly more range and 50% faster charging speeds. Even better, they’re expected to cost less than half the price per kWh of current battery tech.
With the first electric Jeep and Dodge vehicles arriving at US dealerships any day, Stellantis is looking ahead to its next-gen EV models.
Stellantis revealed plans to develop new lithium-sulfur EV batteries through a new collaboration with Zeta Energy Corp. The advanced batteries, Stellantis said, can unlock more range and improve charging speeds while drastically slashing costs.
According to Stellantis, the new technology is expected to cost less than half the price per kWh of the lithium-ion batteries currently on the market.
Stellantis claims lithium-sulfur EV batteries have the potential to improve fast-charging speed by up to 50%. Jeep’s Wagoneer S, the brand’s first global electric SUV, can fast charge (20% to 80%) in 23 minutes, suggesting the new tech could cut that number to around 12 minutes.
Jeep, Dodge vehicles to get advanced new EV batteries
The partnership aims to develop lithium-sulfur EV batteries with “game-changing gravimetric energy density.” In other words, it will be significantly lighter with the same usable energy density as current lithium-ion batteries.
According to Stellantis, they will also be produced with “significantly lower CO2 emissions than any existing battery technology.” Zeta’s battery tech is designed for existing gigafactory methods and can “leverage a short, entirely domestic supply chain in Europe or North America.”
Tom Pilette, CEO of Zeta Energy, said the new battery tech can “dramatically improve the performance and cost profile of electric vehicles.”
Stellantis and Zeta will work together on pre-production development while planning for mass production. Once complete, Stellantis aims to equip the new EV batteries in vehicles by 2030.
The new partnership comes after Stellantis announced in October that it was accelerating the development of solid-state EV batteries with Factorial. Stellantis plans to launch a new lineup of electric Dodge Chargers powered by Factorial’s solid-state EV batteries in 2026.
| 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV trim | Horsepower | 0 to 60 mph time | Starting price |
| Dodge Charger Daytona R/T | 496 hp | 4.7 seconds | $59,995 |
| Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack | 670 hp | 3.3 seconds | $73,190 |
Top comment by OV
Lithium sulphur batteries? Been in R&D for a while. The problem they have is that the sulphur tends not to stay put at the cathode, meaning relatively rapid degradation. The 'polysulphide shuttle' effect is where:
Charging causes the cathode to leak sulphur-rich lithium-sulphur clusters
At the anode, the clusters break down into sulphur-poor clusters, leaving sulphur at the anode
Discharging causes the anode to transfer the lithium-sulphur clusters back to the cathode
The process repeats until the anode is poisoned with sulphur and the cathode is breaking down
Chemists have been working for years on electrolyte formulations that suppress the polysulphide shuttle effect and can deliver Li-S batteries with commercially-relevant lifespans. The prize is big: sulphur is not only very cheap (there are literal mountains of waste sulphur in Canada) but the way it captures lithium means much higher energy density than NMC cathodes. If this press release is taken at face value: big news. But it wouldn't be the first headline-grabbing battery 'breakthrough' that ended up disappointing. I'll be keeping an eye on this one, but tempering my expectations.
The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV starts at $59,995 with up to 496 hp. For $73,190, the Scat Pack model offers “Hellcat-like” performance with up to 670 hp for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.3 seconds.
Jeep’s luxury Wagoneer S starts at $71,995, marking “a new chapter in the storied history of Jeep,” CEO Antonia Filosa said. It includes a tech-loaded interior with best-in-class 45″ screen space, a revamped style, and over 300 miles of driving range.
The 2025 Ram 1500 REV, Ram’s first electric pickup, will also hit US dealerships this fall with an expected over 350 miles driving range.
All three EV models are expected to arrive at dealerships any day as Stellantis looks to recharge sales in the US. Next year, Jeep is expected to launch the Wrangler-inspired Recon EV. Ahead of its debut, the rugged electric SUV was spotted in the US, and it looks a lot like the Ford Bronco. Jeep is also due to launch electric versions of its Renegade and Compass models.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments