Mercedes-Benz announced its partnership with Sila, a next-gen battery materials company, to feature Sila’s silicon anode chemistry in batteries as an option in the upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Mercedes-Benz had previously invested in Sila in 2019 as part of the company’s research and development of advanced batteries for the German luxury car maker's future electric vehicles.

Sila’s technology claims to enable a 20-40 percent increase in energy density reaching more than 800 Wh/l at cell level compared to today’s commercially available cells with a comparable format. With this major development, Mercedes-Benz aims to store much more energy in a smaller area, thus increasing range and enabling future vehicles to traverse further on a single charge.

                                                                  The upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

Sila plans to produce advanced silicon anode materials using 100 percent renewable energy in its new Washington state facility, making Mercedes-Benz Sila's first publicly announced automotive customer. The range-extended-version of the electric G-Class, fitted with the new battery technology, is scheduled for mid-decade by both companies.

Markus Schafer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, responsible for Development and Procurement said “Delivering such a high energy density is a true game changer and allows us to think in completely new directions when developing future electric cars. Our partnership with Sila is another essential step on our way to build the most desirable electric luxury cars.”

Commenting on the strategic partnership, Gene Berdichevsky, co-founder and CEO, Sila added “To realize the potential of next-generation materials, scale up is a pivotal part of execution and we’ve been building towards automotive quality standards and scale since our start. With our new plant in Washington, we’re ensuring we can meet the requirements of our auto partners like Mercedes-Benz as they transition to a fully electric future.”

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