Honor unveils the first silicon-carbon battery with 12.8% higher energy density

Most smartphones and a majority of gadgets out there use either a lithium-polymer (Li-poly) or Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery as a power source. While both these technologies have been working just fine, they do have a few shortcomings. However, it seems Honor has come up with a better alternative. Yesterday, at Mobile World Congress 2023, the Chinese company briefly detailed its first silicon-carbon battery with a higher energy density.

While announcing the Magic 5 Pro smartphone, Honor’s CEO George Zhao talked about the first Silicon-carbon battery. It is claimed to offer 12.8% higher energy density compared to traditional lithium batteries that use graphite on the anode. A higher energy density would mean higher battery capacity.

In simpler terms, the newly launched Honor Magic 5 Pro currently has a battery with a capacity of 5,100mAh. However, if it had used a silicon-carbon battery, its capacity could have been increased to 5,450mAh.

The charts shared by Honor during the presentation explain that Lithium batteries lose their charge quickly and become useless once their voltage drops to 3.5 volts. However, a silicon-carbon battery has 240% more capacity left at 3.5 volts.

According to reports, the newly announced Honor Magic 5 Pro is listed in China with a 5,450mAh battery, which suggests Honor is already using a silicon-carbon battery already. However, the international units feature just a standard 5,100mAh battery.