Recently, research institutions EVTank, IWEI Economic Research Institute, and the China Battery Industry Research Institute jointly released the "White Paper on the Development of Novel Electrolyte Additives in the Chinese Lithium-ion Battery Industry (2023)." EVTank pointed out in the white paper that conventional additives, such as VC and FEC, were initially developed for the 3C sector in the early stages of the lithium battery industry. As the electric vehicle and energy storage industries rapidly expanded, demand for power and energy storage batteries increased, leading to the gradual adoption and scale-up of conventional additives in power and energy storage batteries to enhance lithium battery performance in terms of cycle life, charge-discharge efficiency, and other aspects.
Novel additives, on the other hand, refer to additives that emerged beyond conventional ones, represented by DTD, LiODFB, LiPO2F2, etc. These additives mainly apply to the field of power batteries and are introduced in the development process of the lithium battery industry. They aim to improve lithium battery performance, such as high voltage, low-temperature cycling, and rate capability, through minimal additions.
EVTank stated that as lithium batteries evolve towards high voltage, high energy density, wide temperature range, high power, long cycle life, and high safety, the quantity of novel additives will gradually increase, making them a new and valuable category of electrolyte additives.
According to the statistics in the White Paper, in 2022, the global shipment of novel electrolyte additives reached 16,100 tons, a year-on-year increase of 113.4%. Among them, China's shipment of novel electrolyte additives was 7,400 tons, accounting for 46.0% of the global total.
EVTank analysis suggests that the main reasons for the increase in the shipment of novel electrolyte additives are the cost-effectiveness of electrolyte additives in enhancing battery performance. The application of different additives significantly influences battery indicators such as cycle life, temperature range, and safety. Additionally, formulating designs using novel additives is at the core of the technical capabilities of electrolyte companies and a crucial avenue for electrolyte products to gain added value. In the future, with the rapid development of lithium battery technology, novel electrolyte additives will play an increasingly important role in the development and application of lithium battery electrolytes.
EVTank predicts that by 2030, China's shipment of novel electrolyte additives will reach 189,000 tons, and the global shipment of novel electrolyte additives will reach 225,000 tons.
