Safire Technology Group, Inc. (Safire), a venture-backed company developing and manufacturing Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery safety technology announced it has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Under the agreement, Safire has the exclusive right to commercialize the ORNL-invented breakthrough battery technology, SAFe Impact Resistant Electrolyte (SAFIRE™), the world’s first patented and proprietary drop-in safety additive for Li-ion batteries.

 

SAFIRE is a revolutionary drop-in electrolyte additive for Li-ion batteries that prevents fire and explosion by automatically transforming the liquid electrolyte to a solid state instantaneously upon kinetic impact, such as an electric vehicle crash. The additive provides a safe, low-cost solution for electric vehicles, electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircrafts, and defense equipment, resulting in increased safety and stability, higher performance, and projectile and ballistic protection.

 

“SAFIRE will transform the car industry, particularly as we pivot towards electric vehicles,” said John Lee, co-founder and CEO, Safire. “The additive is easy to add to any existing battery-making process and provides users with a safer alternative that is lighter and more effective than conventional battery protection, resulting in higher performance and lower total cost of ownership.”

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“Today’s announcement further strengthens our long-term collaboration with ORNL and allows us to begin commercial testing,” added Mike Grubbs, co-founder, Safire. “We are also exploring new partnerships and identifying prototyping opportunities with automotive, e-bike, and eVTOL manufacturers.”

 

The collaboration between Safire, formerly known as BTRY, and ORNL is mutual and ongoing. Originally developed by Gabriel Veith and his colleagues at ORNL through initial funding from the U.S. Government (ARPA-E), Safire was formed as a direct result of these efforts and a commercialization initiative launched by Fedtech. Through its agreement with ORNL, Safire has received exclusive authorization on five patents to begin commercial sales of the technology.

 

“Seeing a technology grow from a seed project through invention, patenting, development and licensing is fulfilling and an honor for our team,” said Mike Paulus, director of technology transfer, ORNL. “We look forward to working with Safire through the prototype process and into manufacturing.”

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Parties interested in testing the technology or partnering with Safire should email partnerships@safire.co.

 

ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy.

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