Boeing Invests in Next Generation Battery Technology

A major stumbling block in the development of a practical electric flying vehicle is battery technology, which is currently plagued by energy sources that weigh too much and produce too little power. This week, Boeing HorizonX Ventures' took a step into battery development for the aerospace giant, when it announced its first investment in an energy storage company, Berkeley California-based Cuberg.

The Berkeley startup was created by former Stanford University researchers developing next-generation battery technology for potential aerospace and industrial applications. Since it was founded nearly three years ago, Cuberg has developed an advanced battery cell designed as a drop-in solution to existing large-scale battery manufacturing processes. The Cuberg system combines a lithium metal anode, proprietary electrolyte and high-voltage cathode to achieve high energy density and thermal durability. Since April 2015, Cuberg has grown with several rounds of financing and grant funding and signed a multimillion-dollar joint development agreement with an industrial battery manufacturer.

"Cuberg's battery technology has some of the highest energy density we've seen in the marketplace, and its unique chemistries could prove to be a safe, stable solution for future electric air transportation," said Steve Nordlund, vice president of Boeing HorizonX. The investment team previously announced an investment in another startup, Zunum Aero, a company developing hybrid to electric aircraft.