South 8 Technologies, the developer of LiGas®, the world’s first liquefied gas electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries, today announced an $11 million follow-on funding round co-led by the venture arm of W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) and Lockheed Martin Ventures. The capital will accelerate commercialization of South 8’s LiGas battery cells for aerospace and defense applications that require reliable energy in the harshest environments.
The round included participation from Anzu Partners, IQT, LG Technology Ventures, Porsche Ventures, Foothill Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and Galvion, a key South 8 business partner focused on intelligent soldier power and data systems.
LiGas batteries replace conventional liquid electrolytes with a patented blend of liquefied, non-toxic gases that operate over an unprecedented temperature range from –60 °C to +60 °C (-76 °F to 140 °F). This gas-based chemistry maintains high capacity and allows charging in freezing conditions, alleviating the risk of cold-weather failure in critical equipment including soldier radios, battery packs, and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In addition, LiGas batteries employ a thermal fuse to rapidly remove the electrolyte from the battery during abuse, reducing the risk of a larger battery fire. The proprietary gas formulation also enables fast charging and longer battery lifetimes.
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With this new funding, South 8 will expand its manufacturing capability in San Diego to produce LiGas-based cylindrical cells to complete qualification with leading defense and aerospace customers and deliver on multi-year supply agreements.
“LiGas unlocks performance that conventional lithium-ion simply cannot match at low temperatures or high altitudes,” said Jungwoo Lee, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of South 8 Technologies. “With this investment, we’re accelerating commercialization and building the manufacturing capacity needed to support our customers’ most advanced systems.”
LiGas is an enabling technology for next generation defense and aerospace products and platforms. South 8 recently announced a strategic collaboration with LG Energy Solution to co-develop space-rated LiGas batteries for missions that require reliable operation down to minus -60 °C, in partnership with KULR Technology Group and NASA. Two other strategic partnerships are outlined in Letters of Intent that South 8 recently signed with innovative battery pack manufacturers. The first, with Galvion, focuses on integrating LiGas cells into soldier power solutions for use in extreme cold environments. The second, with CTNS, with the goal of developing LiGas-based battery packs specifically for defense and aerospace clients in North America and allied markets.
“South 8 is addressing one of the most critical challenges in energy storage: delivering dependable performance in extreme environments,” said Ed Rubin, Leader of W. L. Gore & Associates’ venture funds. “LiGas introduces transformative capabilities for advanced aerospace platforms, and we’re proud to support South 8 as it scales production.”
“Defense and aerospace customers are demanding power solutions that work at -40 °C, at altitude, and beyond,” said Chris Moran, VP/GM of Lockheed Martin Ventures. “South 8’s LiGas chemistry fills a critical capability gap for high-performance systems. Our continued investment reflects the continued market pull we see as the technology moves toward commercialization.”
In addition to strategic investors from the aerospace and automotive sectors, the round includes support from IQT, the not-for-profit strategic investor for the U.S. and allied national security communities. “Advanced energy storage is foundational to the future of strategic applications. South 8’s LiGas technology represents a major advancement with the potential to deliver safer, higher-performing storage for mission-critical systems,” said Andrew Schwab, Principal at IQT.
South 8 has already secured more than $32 million in non-dilutive funding and joint development agreements from organizations including the United States Army, the United States Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, and major industrial partners. The company has shipped thousands of LiGas-based cells to a mix of defense primes, system integrators, and cell manufacturers for evaluation across various applications, building a pipeline of qualified opportunities that extends through the decade.
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