US firm's breakthrough EV dry battery hits 4,000 cycles, could 2x lifespan

US-based Sakuu has demonstrated a significant breakthrough in electric vehicle (EV) battery technology with its Kavian platform, which uses a fully dry-processed cathode to produce battery electrodes exhibiting exceptional cycle life. A test cell made via Kavian’s dry-printing process retained 83% of its charge after 4,000 cycles, effectively doubling the typical EV battery standard of 2,000 cycles at 80% state of health. This milestone challenges prevailing skepticism about dry manufacturing methods for lithium-ion battery electrodes, particularly cathodes, and suggests that dry processing can match or exceed the performance of conventional wet-coated batteries. The Kavian platform’s dry process addresses key limitations of traditional wet-coated battery manufacturing by eliminating toxic solvents and water, reducing CO2 emissions by 55%, shrinking the manufacturing footprint by 60%, and cutting utility operating costs by 30%. Kavian supports both anode and cathode production across various chemistries and enables rapid innovation with less waste. Additionally, it can dry