Electric vehicles with so-called ‘solid-state’ batteries moved a step closer to UK roads after global manufacturer Stellantis announced new tech plans.
A fleet of fully-electric Dodge Charger Daytonas will be rolled-out in 2026 as a ‘key next step in bringing solid-state battery technology to mass production’.
It’s thanks to a new partnership between Stellantis - which looks after a number of key brands, including Dodge and the likes of Peugeot, Citroen and Vauxhall - and solid-state battery experts Factorial.
The units themselves are called ‘FEST’ solid-state batteries and have an energy density of 390 Wh/kg (compared to most lithium-ion batteries that have a Wh/kg rating of around 270Wh/kg).
Key to the test will be how the Daytona performs in terms of performance in real-world driving conditions.
But what are solid-state batteries? And why are they important to the future of electric vehicles? Read on to find out.
What are solid-state batteries?
As it stands right now, modern electric vehicles are fitted with a lithium-ion battery as opposed to a solid-state battery. But all that could change in the next few years.
The key difference between the two batteries is that a lithium-ion battery uses a liquid as an electrolyte, the other uses a solid as an electrolyte. An electrolyte is the medium that conducts the electric charge.
And it’s in switching from a liquid to a solid state that has many potential benefits, particularly when it comes to range, charging and safety.
A traditional lithium-ion battery - like the one you’ll find in your mobile phone or laptop - sees charged ions moving through a liquid electrolyte from a cathode to the anode, and vice versa, during charging or when you’re driving.
The problem lies in the fact that this movement through a liquid electrolyte generates heat necessitating EVs to have a sophisticated cooling system. If the battery gets too hot, it might accelerate the onset of degradation. And if it’s too cold, lower temperatures might inhibit the movement of energy through the liquid electrolyte, which has an impact on efficiency.
Solid state batteries do away with the liquid electrolyte and replace it with a solid electrolyte instead, typically a ceramic compound or polymer, thus swerving lots of the issues mentioned above.
Are solid-state batteries better than lithium-ion batteries?
One of the key differences between the use of a liquid or solid electrolyte in EV batteries is how stable a solid-state battery is compared with its liquid sibling.
That stability means faster charging, better efficiency over a broader range of temperatures, and less degradation over time.
And, crucially, solid-state batteries allow for a higher energy density, meaning more power can be stored in the battery itself and greater electric ranges between charges.
An EV with a solid-state battery could enjoy a range of around 600 miles between charges, on average, as opposed to lithium-ion vehicles with an average range of around 250-300 miles.
Samsung also suggests a 10-80% recharge could take place in just 9 minutes - which is a third of the time compared with most other EVs.
There are other benefits, too.
The solvent used in lithium-ion batteries is flammable which means manufacturers take all steps necessary to protect the cells using special accident-repelling armour. Solid-state batteries pose less of a leak or fire risk, making them potentially safer.
Solid-state batteries may allow car makers to use fewer precious metals in the battery’s cathodes, which could lower cost in the long run.
Electric vehicles with solid-state batteries also have the potential to be lighter and more streamlined, too, as they’re not as bulky as lithium-ion units. Again, that could lead to greater EV efficiency and a raft of new EV designs.
As many experts are claiming, solid-state batteries don’t just represent an incremental improvement, they could be truly transformative, radically altering our entire perception of EVs.
What are the disadvantages of solid-state batteries?
A shortage of material might end up being a big factor in the success of solid-state batteries.
Lithium is a key ingredient in solid-state batteries, just like it is in traditional lithium-ion units. Solid-state batteries may use even more lithium than before, with high-density anodes made of pure lithium metal.
Recycling may pose another problem, and new methods will need to be created in order to recycle solid-state packs. And remember that recycling is going to be crucial when it comes to addressing the scarcity of materials (see above!).
Meanwhile cost - at least at this early stage in the development of the tech - could pose an issue. To ramp-up production of solid-state batteries, we may need new ways of working, more scientific investment, and brand-new, purpose-built factories. Those costs will, initially at least, be passed on to the consumer.
Is Tesla making solid-state batteries?
Tesla and its partners, including Samsung, is thought to be working on its own solid-state batteries, with some predicting the tech could be available in the incoming Tesla Model C that’s slated for launch in the next couple of years.
Besides solid-state packs, Tesla is also working on its own ‘4680 battery’ - a cylindrical lithium-ion battery that Elon Musk says will be the ‘cheapest EV battery in the US’. It could also make giant strides when it comes to thermal performance, energy density and lightness.
Besides Tesla, a host of other manufacturers are also busy perfecting solid-state batteries.
Toyota is working with Panasonic and aims to be the first company to sell a solid-state EV by 2025. Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi are working on a solid-state EV that they hope to release by April 2029.
Meanwhile Volkswagen's PowerCo is working with industry-specialists QuantumScape to accelerate solid-state battery production.
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