UC San Diego Joins DOE’s Battery500 Consortium to Advance High-Energy EV Batteries
UC San Diego researchers are playing a key role in the Battery500 Consortium, a $50 million Department of Energy initiative aiming to revolutionize electric vehicle (EV) battery technology. Led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the consortium’s ambitious goal is to triple the energy density of lithium batteries while reducing their size, weight, and cost—enabling EVs to travel two to three times farther on a single charge.
The UC San Diego team, receiving $3 million over five years, is based in the Sustainable Power and Energy Center (SPEC) and includes leading researchers in nanoengineering and energy storage. Professor Ping Liu’s group is developing high-efficiency electrodes that minimize inactive materials, while Professor Shirley Meng’s team is focused on advancing cathode materials with greater energy storage capacity.
The Battery500 project targets a specific energy of 500 Wh/kg—more than double current EV batteries—at a cost below $100/kWh. Researchers across nine institutions, including UC San Diego, will collaborate to redesign battery architecture, prevent degradation, and ensure compatibility with real-world manufacturing.
By integrating cutting-edge materials science, engineering, and cross-sector partnerships, the Battery500 initiative represents a major step toward scalable, next-generation EV battery solutions.
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