{ "docId": "019dd923-622c-750b-8b9a-32b620517ee9", "docSlug": "2ec39f20dd86", "documentTitle": "QuantumScape (QS)", "authorId": "58_Scorpion_Capital", "authorName": "Scorpion Capital", "documentKindSlug": "activist-deck", "documentKindLabel": "Activist deck", "sourceTypeSlug": "short_seller", "sourceTypeLabel": "Short seller", "presentationDate": "2021-04-15 00:00:00", "orientation": "landscape", "aspectRatio": 1.3333334, "pageNumber": 132, "pageCount": 188, "prevPage": 131, "nextPage": 133, "slideType": "expose_contradiction", "function": "expose_contradiction", "density": "dense", "nDataPoints": 0, "notes": "Uses a vertical bar to indicate a block quote from a source.", "elementsJson": [ "headline_text", "paragraph", "quote_block", "footnote" ], "metadataConfidence": 1, "imagePath": null, "slideHref": "/slides/019dd923-622c-750b-8b9a-32b620517ee9/132", "deckHref": "/decks/019dd923-622c-750b-8b9a-32b620517ee9", "deckJsonHref": "/decks/019dd923-622c-750b-8b9a-32b620517ee9.json", "deckAnchorHref": "/decks/019dd923-622c-750b-8b9a-32b620517ee9#slide-132", "components": [ { "bbox": null, "kind": "callout", "text": "He indicated that the difficult trade-offs between separator thickness, dendrite resistance, and energy density are unsolved.", "attrs": null, "subkind": null, "toolName": "Visual emphasis", "toolSlug": "visual-emphasis", "confidence": null, "componentId": "019dd952-f5d1-75b6-b062-89dd90a35dac", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.08, "w": 0.92, "x": 0.04, "y": 0.21 }, "kind": "paragraph", "text": "A former employee explained that thin layers are needed, but thin layers \"very easily get a dendrite.\" He described the challenges \"as these things expand and contract during cycling\" to the point \"where it shatters.\" He indicated that the difficult trade-offs between separator thickness, dendrite resistance, and energy density are unsolved.", "attrs": null, "subkind": "paragraph", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "9fb8a3d4-55f8-4c03-9e21-bb5797d69e72", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.55, "w": 0.92, "x": 0.04, "y": 0.32 }, "kind": "quote", "text": "Former employee responds affirmatively to out question: \"They're struggling with a dendrite issue in the transition from single-layer to multi-layer cells?\"\n\"Right. Let me explain some things about just the inner workings of these batteries. The separators are pretty thin. They could range anywhere from 5 microns to 100-200 microns in thickness. This is where it's really tough scale when it comes to ceramics processing....In a perfect world, you want to get the separator as thin as possible, to just a few microns. A few microns is smaller than your hair. But also you want it to survive all these different battery tests...Think of it on a basic conceptual level - here's something so thin, and then you have to quickly charge and discharge electricity and you can very easily get a dendrite forming, which is a spike growing on the anode side and that spike is going to end up putting a hole into that thin separator because it's just too thin.\"\n\"If it's too thin, the dendrite is going to break a hole into it. But if you make it thicker, you're losing a lot of energy density because you're consuming more space. Not only that, but as these things expand and contract during all the cycling, it'll expand to a certain point where it shatters because, at the end of the day, it's ceramic. Think of it like a ceramic pot, where you put so much force on it, it just shatters. These are two issues that you're going to have, whatever type of ceramic.\" - Former employee", "attrs": null, "subkind": "testimonial", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "f3b43871-722e-470f-898c-1a82dd61e36e", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": null, "kind": "quote", "text": "“Right. Let me explain some things about just the inner workings of these batteries. The separators are pretty thin. They could range anywhere from 5 microns to 100-200 microns in thickness. This is where it's really tough scale when it comes to ceramics processing....In a perfect world, you want to get the separator as thin as possible, to just a few microns. A few microns is smaller than your hair. But also you want it to survive all these different battery tests...Think of it on a basic conceptual level - here's something so thin, and then you have to quickly charge and discharge electricity and you can very easily get a dendrite forming, which is a spike growing on the anode side and that spike is going to end up putting a hole into that thin separator because it's just too thin.” — Former employee", "attrs": null, "subkind": null, "toolName": "Authority citation", "toolSlug": "authority-citation", "confidence": null, "componentId": "019dd952-f5d1-75b6-b062-8de429aac005", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.02, "w": 0.25, "x": 0.04, "y": 0.89 }, "kind": "source-note", "text": "Source: Scorpion Capital consultation calls with experts", "attrs": null, "subkind": null, "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "c00a0a51-c24b-4dfa-ae9f-273b1180a7d2", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.12, "w": 0.92, "x": 0.04, "y": 0.07 }, "kind": "title", "text": "Red flag 4: Dendrites are a fatal problem in the transition to multiple layers. Ex-employees: QS needs to stack ultra-thin solid-state separator layers for weight/energy density, but thin layers get dendrites; \"it just shatters\"", "attrs": null, "subkind": "action-title", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "58310a28-dcc5-4d8f-9a30-f398599238b7", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null }, { "bbox": { "h": 0.02, "w": 0.46, "x": 0.04, "y": 0.04 }, "kind": "title", "text": "4) Multi-layer cells: a fraudulent narrative to cover-up a failure", "attrs": null, "subkind": "headline", "toolName": null, "toolSlug": null, "confidence": null, "componentId": "aa486cec-9f51-4e4f-93aa-94aff84c888f", "frameworkName": null, "frameworkSlug": null } ], "metrics": [], "tools": [], "frameworks": [ { "name": "ceo-quote-contradiction", "slug": null, "matchId": "20a09e35-7ff5-4bef-be8f-5b03bd5c0572", "evidence": "Uses expert testimony to contradict company narrative", "confidence": 0.9 } ], "arcBeats": [ { "to": 150, "from": 7, "beatId": "bb56e2cc-71d0-4a88-adf5-a740e3b3215c", "arcName": "Overcoming the Monster", "arcSlug": "overcoming-monster", "beatName": "Critique of Quantumscape's claims and technology", "beatSlug": null, "evidence": "The document presents a detailed critique of Quantumscape's claims and technology.", "position": 0, "confidence": 0.8, "parentBeatName": null, "parentBeatSlug": null }, { "to": 149, "from": 8, "beatId": "f51b8fe3-6117-425f-a2bb-d0457528eb59", "arcName": "Overcoming the Monster", "arcSlug": "overcoming-monster", "beatName": "Exposure of contradictions and red flags in Quantumscape's data", "beatSlug": null, "evidence": "The document highlights multiple contradictions and red flags in Quantumscape's data.", "position": 1, "confidence": 0.8, "parentBeatName": null, "parentBeatSlug": null } ], "loops": [], "imagePathAlt": null, "thumbSrc": null, "thumbSrcAlt": null, "locked": true }