Image credit: Bridie Schmidt
Tesla has extended its battery research contract with the team at Dalhousie University in Canada led by Jeff Dahn, adding a second five-year term in a deal that underlines Dahn’s prominence in the battery research field.
At the same time, ASX-listed battery materials firm Novonix has announced it has named Dahn as “chief scientific advisor” in a role that will commence in July 2021.
In 2020, Novonix announced a patented dry particle granulation technology which it says can be used to increase efficiency and reduce the cost of manufacturing anode and cathode materials.
Dalhousie’s exclusive partnership with Tesla is perhaps one of the most closely followed battery research contracts in the electric vehicle and energy storage sector.
The renewal of the contract indicates Tesla still expects to harvest benefits of Dahn’s research in the future, although it is keeping tight-lipped about what may be; a touted “million-mile battery” expected to be revealed at Tesla’s Battery Day in 2020 did not materialise.
Under the contract, Dahn will retain his position as NSERC/Tesla Canada Inc. Industrial Research Chair and the Canada Research Chair in Materials for Advanced Batteries and he will be joined by two new team members, including Tesla Canada research chair Chongyin Yang and German battery researcher Michael Metzger.
“I am so pleased to welcome Chongyin Yang and Michael Metzger to Dalhousie University assistant professors and Chairholders. Both are outstanding scientists and charismatic leaders,” said Dahn of the announcement in a statement.
“Our goal is to continue to help Tesla develop better advanced batteries for its products. Dr Yang and Dr Metzger bring new ideas, new methods, and new expertise as well as a full commitment to electric transportation and renewable energy to the partnership,” he said.
“We are thrilled to be extending and expanding our work with Dalhousie and Jeff Dahn with the addition of Chongyin and Michael. We look forward to their important contributions in battery technology to help achieve our mission,” said Tesla in a press release.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
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