This Google Spinout Thinks AI Can Fix America’s EV Battery Problem

Sandbox AQ, a Google spinout, believes AI can solve America's electric vehicle battery challenges, aiming to compete with China's dominance not by outproducing them, but by innovating better battery designs. The company's AI-enabled platform, AQ Vault 26, is designed to accelerate the research and development of new battery chemistries, particularly safer and cheaper solid-state batteries. This technology focuses on the initial, uncertain phase of battery R&D – screening and evaluating candidate materials – with the goal of significantly reducing the time it takes to discover new battery materials. According to Ang Xiao, who leads Sandbox AQ's material science team, this discovery phase could be shortened by 90-95%, potentially accelerating the entire development pipeline, which currently takes 10-15 years. Sandbox AQ has already secured $950 million in funding and is generating revenue from clients like battery developer Novonix and the US Army. Their business model involves platform usage fees, technology licensing, and research services. The company sees the battery market as a substantial opportunity, with demand growing across EVs, energy storage, and defense. Unlike large language models (LLMs) used by companies like OpenAI, Sandbox AQ utilizes large quantitative models (LQMs) trained on physics-based data. This approach allows them to generate synthetic data for materials, rather than just text. Their primary focus is on developing solid-state battery cells that could potentially avoid lithium and cobalt, and be made from low-cost materials. They are exploring halide-based electrolytes, which are cheaper and more stable than current lithium-based ones, reducing fire risks. While batteries incorporating Sandbox AQ's technology are likely at least five years away from commercialization, they could enhance US competitiveness in the battery sector. The company emphasizes the need for supply chain resilience and believes their data modeling can contribute to advancing battery technologies and discovering new materials for wider EV adoption.