Ascend Elements announces contract with Freudenberg e-Power Systems

Ascend Elements, a Westborough, Massachusetts-based manufacturer of battery materials, has announced a contract with Freudenberg e-Power Systems to engineer sustainable cathode active material (CAM). Headquartered in Midland, Michigan, Freudenberg manufactures battery cell, pack and system solutions for applications with high-performance requirements for lifetime, charge time and safety. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Ascend Elements will design a lithium-nickel-magnesium-cobalt-oxide (NMC) cathode material to meet Freudenberg’s specifications. The material will be engineered at the Ascend Elements Research and Development Center in Westborough, Massachusetts. 

“Freudenberg e-Power Systems leads the way in sustainable battery solutions for demanding heavy-duty applications,” says Max Kley, CEO of Freudenberg e-Power Systems. “Incorporating Ascend Elements’ recycled cathode material into our high-performance cell design reduces environmental impact while ensuring the highest product quality and exceptional lifetime. In addition, Ascend Elements’ domestic manufacturing footprint further enhances the stability of our supply chain.” 

Ascend Elements says its recycled battery materials perform as well as similar materials made from virgin sources while reducing carbon emissions by up to 93 percent. 

“This contract is further evidence that recycled battery metals can perform as well as virgin metals,” Ascend Elements CEO Mike O’Kronley says. “Metals are essentially the same whether they come from a mine or a used lithium-ion battery. It’s all [about] how you engineer the cathode material. To win this contract, Freudenberg tested our customized cathode product extensively and found it to have truly exceptional cycle-life results while achieving best-in-class safety.” 

Ascend Elements uses a patented Hydro-to-Cathode process to direct precursor synthesis to manufacture NMC, precursor cathode active material (pCAM) and CAM recovered from used lithium-ion batteries and battery gigafactory manufacturing scrap. The closed-loop process eliminates several intermediary steps in the traditional cathode manufacturing process and provides economic and carbon-reduction benefits, the company says. 

Ascend Elements recently announced the sale of pCAM valued at up to $5 billion.