law
and demanded that DCRC provide DCRC’s Class A stockholders with a
separate class vote on the Proposal. DCRC subsequently provided for
the Class A stockholders to have a separate class vote on the
Proposal share increase. The Proposal was approved and the Business
Combination closed. The counsel who issued this demand letter made
a fee demand (the “Fee Demand”) for prompting the change in the
Proposal. The Company accrued a liability of $500
on its
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2021 in anticipation
of settling the Fee Demand. On March 10, 2022, the Company settled
the Fee Demand for an amount that is materially consistent with the
Company’s accrual.
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations
The
following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction
with the consolidated financial statements and related notes
thereto included elsewhere in this Report. The following discussion
contains forward-looking statements that reflect future plans,
estimates, beliefs, and expected performance. For additional
discussion, see “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements” above. The forward-looking statements are dependent
upon events, risks, and uncertainties that may be outside of our
control. Our actual results could differ materially from those
discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not
limited to, those identified below and those discussed elsewhere in
this Report and under Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. Unless
indicated otherwise, the following discussion and analysis of
results of operations and financial condition and liquidity relates
to our current continuing operations and should be read in
conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes
thereto of this Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2022, dated March 1, 2023. We do not
undertake, and expressly disclaim, any obligation to publicly
update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, new developments or otherwise, except to the extent
that such disclosure is required by applicable law.
Overview
We are
developing solid state battery technologies to enable the next
generation of rechargeable batteries for the fast-growing EV and
other markets.
Our
core technology is our proprietary sulfide-based solid electrolyte
material, which replaces the liquid or gel electrolyte used in
conventional lithium-ion batteries. We believe that our electrolyte
material can enable extended driving range, longer battery life,
improved safety, and lower costs compared to conventional
lithium-ion.
We
also are designing and developing solid state cells that utilize
our electrolyte in the cathode, anode, and separator layers. We
currently produce 0.2 Ah, 2 Ah, 20 Ah, and EV cells on two pilot
lines using established manufacturing processes. In 2022, we
installed our EV line, which allows us to produce EV cells between
60 Ah and 100 Ah. The EV line is designed to produce cells as part
of the automotive qualification process and for vehicle integration
demonstration purposes.
We
have partnered with industry leaders, including Ford Motor Company,
BMW, and SK On Co., Ltd. We are working closely with each of these
partners to refine and validate our cell designs and electrolyte
material with the ultimate goal to commercialize our technologies.
Our business model – selling our electrolyte to cell manufacturers
and licensing our cell designs and manufacturing processes –
distinguishes us from many of our competitors who plan to be
commercial battery manufacturers. Ultimately, we endeavor to be a
leading producer and distributor of sulfide-based solid electrolyte
material for powering both EVs and other applications. Since we do
not intend to commercially produce battery cells, we expect to
invest less than other development-stage battery companies that
plan to commercially manufacture their own cell designs and
construct battery production facilities.
The
products we currently make are in the development stage and require
continued development and validation before we can commercialize
either our electrolyte or cell technology.
Key Factors Affecting Operating Results
We are
a research and development-stage company and have not generated
significant revenue through the sale of our electrolyte or
licensing of our cell designs. Our ability to commercialize our
products depends on several factors that present significant
opportunities for us but also pose material risks and challenges,
including those discussed in “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note
Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” appearing in this Report,
which are incorporated by reference.