Electric vehicle startup Faraday Future has partnered with LG to beef up its batteries.
As part of the partnership, LG Chem, an LG subsidiary, will provide lithium-ion cells for Faraday Future’s electric vehicles. The companies also plan to collaborate on the development of new EV battery technology, which they say will result in “the world’s highest energy density for a production automotive battery.”
araday Future — a California-based, Chinese-backed startup — plans to incorporate the cells into its VPA platform, a modular battery structure described as a main component of the automaker’s future product portfolio.
“As a leading supplier of automotive cells and batteries, we are proud to work alongside Faraday Future … to create the next generation of electric vehicles,” UB Lee, President of Energy Solution Company at LG Chem, said in a statement. “Our progress so far represents a major step forward in battery technology, and we look forward to growing our partnership and co-developing hardware into the future.”
LG Chem already has quite a presence in this space, with more than 20 global automakers as customers —including GM. The LG company provides battery cells for the Chevy Volt hybrid, and the all-electric Chevy Bolt.
Faraday Future, meanwhile, recently got the okay to begin testing its prototype vehicles on public roads in California. It’s reportedly aiming to start building and selling EVs in the US next year; fully autonomous models could come later.
In a statement, Faraday Future’s VP of Global Supply Chain Tom Wessner said the company has been working with LG Chem to “develop a tailored cell chemistry to optimize the range and safety of our mass production battery hardware.“
