Three approaches exist. Two modify the cell or add process steps. 70.energy builds prelithiation into the anode — the cell maker assembles normally.
Lithium-rich additives are dissolved into the electrolyte to compensate first-cycle loss. Effective in principle, but the additive modifies the electrolyte chemistry, behaves differently across LFP, LCO and NMC cells, and must be tuned per cell design. The cell maker carries the integration risk.
The anode is pre-charged in a separate electrochemical step before cell assembly. This adds dedicated equipment, an extra process step, and a partially lithiated anode that must be handled and integrated into the production line — increasing capex and assembly complexity.
Prelithiation is built into the anode production process. The anode arrives prelithiated and ready for normal cell assembly — no electrolyte modification, no extra assembly step, no additional equipment on the cell line. The cell maker assembles the cell as they normally would. Compatible with LFP, LCO and NMC cathodes.
Chemical and electrochemical approaches push prelithiation complexity onto the cell maker — electrolyte reformulation, extra equipment, process steps. Integrated inline prelithiation moves that complexity upstream into the anode. The cell line stays unchanged. No capex for prelithiation equipment, no electrolyte reformulation, no chemistry-dependent tuning. The anode is prelithiated; the cell is assembled normally.
For prelithiation equipment and production-integration details, visit pre-lithiation.com.