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Shorter charging times:
With solid-state batteries, the charge is no longer transported through a liquid carrier material
Photo: Jan Woitas / dpa-Zentralbild
Range, safety, shorter charging times - and less dependence on battery suppliers from China. The major automakers have high hopes for solid-state batteries. They are currently investing tens of billions in their own gigafactory for the production of conventional lithium-ion batteries. But at the same time they are also developing the new technology at great expense.
Most recently, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would jointly develop solid-state battery technology for electric cars with the US company Factorial Energy.
Mercedes will invest in the young company with a high double-digit million amount, the group announced at the end of November.
At the same time, the mass manufacturer Stellantis (Fiat, Peugeot, Chrysler) also joined the US company.
CEO
Carlos Tavares
(63) hopes to "enable a faster market launch and a more cost-effective transition to solid-state battery technology".
The performance of the e-car battery increases
If the technology is really ready for series production, the attractiveness of the electric car increases. With solid-state batteries, the charge is no longer transported through a liquid carrier material. The cells can thus become lighter, which increases the range of the electric cars.
Stefan Reindl
, CEO of the Institute for the Automotive Industry, assumes an increase in performance of up to 50 percent. In addition, higher energy density and faster charging are conceivable.
However, the technology is still a long way from achieving this goal. At least Factorial Energy recently reported that it had succeeded in producing a cell that works at room temperature. The first pilot productions could start in two years, perhaps the first expensive series for the luxury segment from 2027, and mass production from 2030 - if everything goes well technically. The risks are high, successes uncertain. Newly designed machines and completely newly developed production lines would be required to manufacture these batteries.
The car manufacturers are currently still relying fully on lithium-ion batteries. The manufacturers are almost completely dependent on suppliers from China. Corporations like CATL or LG dominate global business. In order to become more independent, the car manufacturers are investing in their own battery factories. Mercedes boss
Ola Källenius
(52), who wants to convert the group completely to electric drive by the end of the decade, has announced the construction of eight gigafactory factories. Volkswagen wants to build six of its own giant factories in Europe. In addition to Salzgitter, Skellefteå has already been set in northern Sweden, and a third location in Spain has good prospects.
At the same time, the Wolfsburg-based company is also trying to advance the development of solid-state batteries. VW has so far invested an impressive 300 million US dollars in the US start-up Quantumscape, which is working on lithium-metal solid-state batteries. According to Quantumscape, the battery meets all the requirements of the automotive industry: long service life, fast charging capability, safety, a realistic operating temperature and a high energy density - which even doubles.
VW tested the start-up's first battery cells in its own laboratories in April. The solid fuel cell will initially be used in the premium segment, as confirmed by a spokesman for the Volkswagen Group. The group announced that it would work with the recycling and material technology company Umicore and the US start-up 24M. In the medium term, compounds of the raw material lithium are also to be promoted in Germany and renewable energy projects are to be promoted.
BMW is also involved in the new technology. In May, the group joined forces with Ford in a financing round in which a total of 130 million US dollars was invested in the solid-state battery manufacturer Solid Power. Solid Power plans to provide its partners with the first solid-state batteries for qualification tests and vehicle integration at the beginning of 2022.
A big advantage of the technology: the batteries can be manufactured in existing production facilities.
"The solid-state battery is one of the most promising and important technologies for more efficient, more sustainable and safer electric vehicles," said BMW board member
Frank Weber
(54).
It is better than the most powerful lithium-ion battery cells - and cheaper.
According to the company, the first electric car with a solid-state battery is to be tested by 2025.
US firms outperform China's battery giants
Although BMW and Ford are equal shareholders in Solid Power, they have entered into separate development agreements.
In this way, the car manufacturers can independently obtain batteries that are best matched to their future E-series.
Ford is currently building a new global competence center for batteries to support the transition to solid-state batteries.
In contrast to lithium-ion batteries, most of the promising suppliers do not come from China - but predominantly from the USA.
This would mean that German car manufacturers would be less dependent on Asia.
But who will prevail in the end is open.
Even if Volkswagen has invested the most, Solid Power or Factorial Energy could ultimately be faster in the development of solid-state batteries ready for series production, says Reindl.
The race is still open.