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Colloquium | Materials Science

Battery Research from an Industrial Perspective: Insights from Nine Months at Tesla

Materials Science Colloquium

Abstract: Lithium-ion battery production is growing exponentially and is key to meeting climate stability targets. In this talk, I will review past, current, and future battery chemistries relevant to electric vehicles and large-scale stationary storage, in addition to how these materials are actually made at scale. I will touch on unique aspects of commercial production and relevant parameters. Finally, I will discuss the most promising directions from my perspective for anode, cathode, and electrolyte development.

Bio: Andrew Ulvestad is a cell research engineer at Tesla. He works on advanced cathode development for electric vehicles and stationary storage as well as rapid charging solutions for lithium-ion batteries. Previously, he was an assistant physicist in Argonne’s Materials Science Division, where he focused on understanding the connection between atoms and complex systems by developing and employing advanced characterization techniques.