High Performance Battery Packs Using Domestic Materials for Compact Off-Highway Machines
Project Update
This project kicked off in Q4 of 2025. The project will execute an 8-quarter plan to design, scale up, and validate high-performance lithium-ion pouch cells and a 10–20 kWh battery pack based on Tyfast’s lithium vanadium oxide (LVO) anode technology. The effort spans pouch cell design, pilot-scale fabrication, high-rate and wide-temperature performance validation, battery pack design and build, and third-party safety and performance testing. The program is structured to progressively de-risk scale-up from cell to pack level while maintaining aggressive fast-charge, long-cycle-life, and low-temperature operation targets.
The Issue
The electrification of off-highway equipment such as mini excavators, skid steer loaders, and utility tractors presents critical challenges and opportunities. These machines typically operate for 4-8 hours per day under high power demands and adverse weather conditions, making durability and performance essential. Current lithium-ion battery technologies using graphite anodes, primarily designed for passenger vehicles, fall short due to limited cycle life (about 1,000 cycles), slow charging times (about 60 mins), and inadequate operation in extreme temperatures (no charging below freezing). Diesel-powered equipment emits harmful pollutants and GHGs. Therefore, transitioning to electric equipment is critical for environmental and health benefits and helping achieve the California Air Resources Board’s goals for 100 percent zero-emission drayage trucks by 2035, public buses by 2040, and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045. Achieving this transition requires innovative battery solutions that combine high power, long cycle life, and rapid charging with a low total cost of ownership, addressing the stringent needs of off-highway applications.
Project Innovation
This project is advancing the recipient's innovative LVO anode technology which provides a transformative solution for the electrification of off-highway equipment, addressing critical performance gaps in current lithium-ion batteries. Batteries made with these LVO anodes offer ultra-fast charging (less than 15 minutes to full capacity), exceptional cycle life (more than 10,000 cycles), and reliable operation across extreme temperatures (-40°C to +60°C) to meet demanding equipment applications in mini excavators, skid steer loaders, and utility tractors. Leveraging domestically sourced materials from industrial waste, the Recipient not only reduces environmental impact but also enhances supply chain security, positioning their LVO technology as a game-changer for the sustainable electrification of heavy-duty equipment.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
Tyfast will accelerate commercialization of its lithium vanadium oxide (LVO) anode batteries for compact off-highway equipment by scaling 20 Ah pouch cells and integrating them into a 60V, 20 kWh pack to move from TRL 5 → TRL 7.
The project targets ultra-fast charging (<15 minutes), exceptional cycle life (>10,000 cycles), and reliable operation from -40°C to +60°C, solving key barriers that keep electrified mini excavators/skid steers/utility tractors from replacing diesel.
By enabling diesel replacement, the technology is expected to significantly reduce operating costs (~$29k/year per machine in fuel savings and up to 90% in operating cost reduction), while cutting emissions that harm communities near work sites.
Tyfast’s approach also strengthens sustainability and resilience by using domestically sourced battery materials derived from industrial waste, supporting cleaner air, quieter neighborhoods, and supply chain security. Safety and performance will be validated through third-party laboratory testing (UN 38.3 / SAE J2464) and independent pack testing to support commercialization readiness.
Affordability
Reduced fuel/energy spend and downtime; estimated ~$29,000/year per machine savings and “up to 90%” lower operating costs by switching to electric fuel.
Environmental Sustainability
Eliminates diesel exhaust impacts near construction/industrial sites; improves air quality in disadvantaged communities and reduces GHGs (~20,000 kg CO₂/year avoided per replaced mini-excavator).
Key Project Members
Subrecipients
Match Partners
