Swiss energy solutions company Leclanché has released XN50, the world’s first commercial Li-ion cell with a niobium-based active anode material, the company said in a statement. Supplied by the UK’s Echion Technologies, the XNO trade-marked material enables 50% higher energy density than LTO technologies (lithium-titanate or lithium-titanium-oxide), fast charging, and safety and performance in extreme conditions.

“The XNO materials are based on proprietary mixed niobium oxide compositions and microparticle designs protected by multiple international patent families,” Echion explains on its website. “The unique crystal structures of our materials have been engineered to enable the intercalation of lithium ions with exceptionally fast diffusion coefficients, safe electrochemical potential above SEI formation, and minimal volume expansion.”