Stratus Materials Inc., a company focused on the development and commercialization of lithium manganese-rich (LMR) cathode active material (CAM) for lithium-ion batteries, announces that, as of May 2025, it has transitioned to a second-generation cobalt-free “LXMO-2” CAM and started shipping to customers and partners. This progression to LXMO-2 further solidifies Stratus’s position as a clear leader in the rapidly emerging field of LMR CAMs.

• Versus other LMR offerings, LXMO-2 provides superior stability in capacity and voltage compared to other LMRs, enabling best-in-class energy retention over battery lifetime. Less than 20% fade on capacity and less than 5% fade on average discharge voltage after 1,200 full DoD cycles with upper cutoff voltages exceeding 4.4 volts have been achieved [data plot link]. In addition, the density of this material enables high energy cells, with well over 300 Wh/kg and 700 Wh/liter demonstrated. Finally, LXMO-2 delivers unparalleled performance and stability without the use of CAM coatings or dopants, resulting in a simpler, more stable, and lower cost CAM solution.
• Versus prior LXMO offerings from Stratus, LXMO-2 offers improvements in terms of efficiency, specific capacity, rate performance, and discharge energy while maintaining superior safety, stability, manufacturability, processability, and cost advantages.

Industry activity focused on elevating LMR material has increased significantly over the past 12 months, with several major electric vehicle OEMs recently announcing their intentions to deploy LMR in their next generation vehicles [CleanTechnica May 14, 2025]. If properly designed and stabilized, LMR can deliver a highly attractive value proposition: cells with energy densities at or above those of mid- or high-nickel NMCs, but with cost and safety profiles similar to those of LFP. At the systems level, the combination of LMR’s high safety and high energy density can result in pack-level energy densities that are up to twice those of NMC or LFP packs. Jay Whitacre, CEO of Stratus Materials commented: “The major pack-level energy density and cost advantages that are enabled by our patent-pending cobalt-free LXMO are substantial. EV OEMs and their suppliers gain highly attractive design freedom concerning pack size, system cost, and EV range that are currently unavailable.”

Since mid-2023, Stratus has been engaged with a broad set of leading EV OEMs, cell & pack manufacturers, and CAM producers to evaluate and optimize its LXMO CAM offerings and associated technologies. These efforts have validated the core advantages of LXMO over other competing CAMs, and have allowed Stratus to focus its ongoing innovation efforts on the product dimensions that are most important to its partners and customers. The most recent result of this customer-informed work is LXMO-2.

Pilot Line: Stratus is also pleased to announce that it is in the final stages of standing up a 30-ton per year pilot manufacturing line in Pittsburgh, PA. This line, which will be operational in the 4th quarter of 2025, is key to demonstrating the scalability of LXMO material production and to supplying customers and partners with larger evaluation quantities in the coming quarters.

ABOUT STRATUS MATERIALS

Stratus Materials is a U.S. based company focused on the development and commercialization of next-generation, LMR cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Our mission is to disrupt the CAM supply chain by offering materials with a game-changing combination of performance, safety, and cost. Stratus is primarily focused on cathode solutions for light- and medium-duty electric vehicles, stationary energy storage solutions, and other applications with similar requirements. Stratus’s business model is licensing partnerships, where Stratus teams with large, existing CAM producers or users to produce and sell LXMO into the lithium-ion battery industry.

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This next step in our innovation journey strengthens our leadership in the rapidly growing LMR CAM market, delivering high performance, high safety, low cost, and superior cycle life, all without cobalt.