American Battery Solutions Inc. (ABS) in Lake Orion, a developer and manufacturer of advanced battery systems for electrified mobility, today signed an agreement to acquire the complete intellectual property portfolio of California’s Tiveni Inc., a battery systems innovator founded and led by original Tesla founder and CEO Martin Eberhard.
The addition of Tiveni developed technologies is expected to accelerate ABS’ deployment of low-cost, energy-dense, highly crash-tolerant EV batteries. The acquisition includes a supporting patent portfolio protecting the cost/density/safety advantages included in Tiveni’s designs. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The transaction includes an IP portfolio of more than 100 assets, including 24 issued U.S. patents, and 143 pending applications, with broad coverage, core to EV battery systems and supply chain including 37 (U.S.), 16 (China), 32 (EU and UK national stage), and two pending PCTs.
Additionally, the acquisition includes technology transfer and know-how to implement and deploy the Tiveni technologies, including all design, engineering, and process documentation from more than four years of development. Key granted patents date back a few years giving a preferred priority date position.
The technologies developed by Tiveni focus on a systems-level approach to the EV battery, with innovations in battery design and manufacturing technology in four major technology areas:
Slide-in modular battery architecture — Including a chassis-integrated design to accommodate multiple, slide-in, field-replaceable modules and a commercial vehicle frame-attached housing
Unique contact plate design — A laminated multi-layer contact plate that consolidates all conductors in one assembly, spanning an entire battery module
High-speed laser welding manufacturing — Optical targeting and innovative assembly fixtures providing significant tolerance take up to enable reliable, high-speed welds and reduce manufacturing costs
Battery management system and algorithms — Techniques applicable to multiple types stems and applications.
“We are excited to add Tiveni’s battery module system technologies to our own ABS battery module design, including the functional, safety, and cost improvements inherent in the Tiveni technologies and design,” says Subhash Dhar, founder, chairman and CEO of ABS. “Along with our significant existing IP, this acquisition positions ABS’ IP portfolio at the forefront in relation to major industry players using cylindrical cell battery systems.”
ABS says it plans to employ the Tiveni technology in its continuing development of next-generation battery platforms, along with the next-generation high energy cells to further support its customers in commercial and industrial mobility including transit buses, delivery vehicles, marine vessels, light electric vehicles, and outdoor power equipment with high quality, reliable and cost-effective battery solutions.
ABS operates a 120,000-square-foot technical center in Lake Orion and a dedicated 170,000-square-foot purpose-built, state-of-the art battery manufacturing facility in Ohio. It employs more than 165 people in Michigan, Ohio, and Massachusetts.
