Inner Sphere Consulting, LLCTechnical Qualification of Batteries for Electric Vehicles
by David Bell
Timing is everything
So how does a company get their cells (or materials, or packs) into cars? What you're really asking is, "What's the qualification process for supplying batteries into electric vehicle programs and platforms?"
The good news: every OEM in the world follows a similar process. Ten years ago, the automotive qualification process took from 3-5 years with the large legacy OEMs on the upper end of that range. Even more good news: today, the process can be as short as 2 years to get to prototype battery packs and test vehicles.
One of the most important aspects of this system is that the Tier 2 suppliers who provide key active materials (like cathode and anode) must be one phase ahead of the cell maker definition defined below. Cell component manufacturers, producing everything from active materials, separators, packaging and current collection - or their respective divisions in a vertically integrated organization - must engage in the process early and get out ahead. If they don't, supply chain constraints will result in program time slips that can put your qualification process in serious jeopardy.
Sample Definition Process
The qualification of batteries into electric vehicle (EV) programs and/or platforms is generally referred to as the Sample Definition Process. This process consists of 3-5 phases as defined below:
R&D Phase
This phase is sometimes referred to as "Pre-Evaluation", or "Pre-A Sample Phase," but the purpose is the same - early-stage R&D and initial cell validation. Research scientists from cell suppliers and/or OEMs evaluate new technology with minimal stakes. Materials provided can be on the gram scale and cells are either coin cells or small pouch cells. The goal is to make a cell that can reasonably be used for the final commercial product and meets the minimum program requirements to establish a proof of concept. No expectation of reproducibility is expected in this phase.
Many promising start-ups or ambitious lower-tier suppliers can get hung up and languish in this phase for multiple years. Often the roadblock is a misalignment on a key (and often unstated) requirement, or a lack of progress to meet technical requirements for the program. Delays here can cost both the cell maker and prospective supplier a lot of money. The total cost to the cell supplier depends on the number of R&D personnel they have engaged and the time required to meet the technical goals. Assuming 3-5 FTEs working on evaluating a new material, a reasonable estimate of the cost is $300K to $500K.
"A" Sample
Where the rubber really meets the road for Autos, A Samples are early-stage design validation, where materials properties are tested and basic performance metrics and thermal behavior are verified. During this phase, new chemistries are optimized in the full battery system (for example, an electrolyte is reformulated to work better with a new anode material). In addition to the cell supplier’s research team, the OEM typically has their Research team engaged as well.
In terms of materials, 1,000 to 5,000 cells are typically delivered to an OEM during this phase, but up to 10,000 cells could be made at a Tier 1 cell supplier to achieve reproducibility. Expect this phase to last 6-12 Months with costs for the cell supplier to be in the range of $500K - $1MM.
Companies can have a hard time entering this phase because of the jump in scale required not just for them, but the full value chain. For a battery cell supplier to make an A-sample for EV, they need suppliers (e.g., their cathode manufacture) to use their serial production line. However, being in serial production is a key characteristic of the B-sample phase, an example of how the further up the value chain a part is, the more mature it must be to enable qualification at the cell level.
"B" Sample
This phase is focused on integration of cells into battery modules and packs for functional and safety testing. Here, full system-level testing validates cell, module, and pack products. The OEM has their Engineering team engaged in this phase.
Based on feedback from pack performance, the cell design may need to change to address things which are negatively impacting the full battery pack, like internal resistance and safety. This is also the phase where cell-to-pack (C2P) type designs undergo full performance and functional verification, typically in both Hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) and subsystem tests. Initial prototype vehicles would also be built in this phase, and those vehicles be used to start the homologation process. B Samples consist of 10,000 to 50,000 cells, and this phase is usually 12-18 Months with costs for cell supplier in the $2MM - $5MM range.
"C" Sample
In the C sample, the focus in on pre-production of packs, production validation, durability and compliance testing. Cell makers will primarily focus on making sure the business case can be met with their specified assets. The OEM has their NPI team engaged in this phase. Here, prototype vehicles will go through field trials and to match their intended production design and performance. One of the key goals of this phase is to finalize vehicle homologation for different target markets.
Tier 1 cell suppliers project 50,000 to 500,000 cells to meet what's required at this phase, and anticipate 12-18 Months with costs ranging from $10MM - $20MM.
Start of Production / SOP
If you have made it this far, congratulations! You are now in production with a major automotive OEM. Because the process is so time and resource intensive, its easy to understand why automotive supply chain developments tend to move slowly and why some suppliers end up being "locked-in," ahead of their competition.
Summary of a Typical Sample Definition Process
| Phase | Purpose | Length | Cells to OEM | Cost for Cell Supplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R&D Phase | Early-stage R&D and initial cell validation | Multiple years | Limited (proof of concept) | $300K - $500K |
| A | Early-stage design validation, testing materials properties | 6-12 months | 1,000 - 5,000 cells | $500K - $1MM |
| B | Integration into modules and packs for functional and safety testing | 12-18 months | 10,000 - 50,000 cells | $2MM - $5MM |
| C | Pre-production validation, durability, and compliance | 12-18 months | 50,000 - 500,000 cells | $10MM - $20MM |
| SOP | Start of Production | - | - | - |
Note: Modern timeline from A Sample to SOP can be as short as 2 years, compared to traditional 3-5 years.
If you are looking to sell into the EV industry now or in the future, understanding this qualification process is necessary. Inner Sphere can provide expertise functional expertise into this process from as a technical, quality, and/or commercial resource. Contact us at info@innersphereconsulting.com to learn more.