Dalhousie Univ. receives $6M for advanced EV battery research

Dalhousie University globally known for its pioneering work in advanced battery technology has announced that its Faculty of Science researchers Jeff Dahn, Chongyin Yang, and Micheal Metzger have received up to $6 million in a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Tesla to develop advanced batteries for electric vehicles (EV) and grid energy storage.

The researchers have received $2.9 million in funding from NSERC and an additional $3.1 million from Tesla, this is the largest Alliance Grant that the University has received thus far.

"I am very grateful for this funding from NSERC and Tesla," Dr. Jeff Dahn stated in the University Blogpost.

"This will allow Chongyin, Michael, and I to solve many remaining puzzles that will help improve battery lifetime and lower cost... Tesla is a wonderful partner and a world leader in electric vehicle, solar, and electrical energy storage products. We share their commitment to help combat climate change through electrified transportation and renewable energy generation and storage."

The goals of the funded project include:

• To lower the costs of batteries for EVs and electrical energy storage applications
• To increase the lifetime of batteries for EVs and electrical energy storage applications
• Increasing the energy density of batteries for EVs and electrical energy storage applications
• Maintaining and improving the safety of batteries for EVs and electrical energy storage applications
• Increasing the content of sustainable materials in the batteries

By achieving the above-mentioned goals, the project aims to contribute not only to the industry but also to make renewable energy more accessible and EVs more affordable for all Canadians.

Old allies, new partnerhsip

The latest partnership and project builds upon the already existing NSERC/Tesla Canada Industrial Research Chair partnership between Dalhousie University, Tesla Canada, and Tesla.

According to Dalhousie University, the first-ever research agreement between a university and the leading American electric vehicle company was signed with Dalhousie in June 2015, and Dr. Dahn's work officially began with Tesla in 2016. The partnership has since been renewed until at least 2026.

In January 2021, the Dalhousie team expanded to include Dr. Chongyin Yang as the Tesla Canada Chair and Dr. Michael Metzger as the Herzberg-Dahn Chair and together they will work with Dr. Dahn's in helping further advance the work in advanced battery technology.