Solid-State Batteries Move Closer to Reality for Future EVs

The most solid alternative to widely used lithium-ion batteries, with the benefits of improved safety, higher energy density, longer lifespan, and faster charging, is almost here.

This promising alternative is solid-state batteries (SSBs), which replace liquid electrolytes with solid electrolytes, thereby eliminating the fire risk and allowing for more compact designs, as well as supporting more charge cycles before degradation.

A recent study¹ from the University of California reviewed the technology and found it capable of transforming not just electric cars but also consumer electronics and energy storage. The key to it all is chemistry and engineering.

“By removing the liquid and using stable solid materials instead, we can safely push more electricity into the battery at once, without the risks of overheating or fires.”

– Lead author Cengiz Ozkan, a professor of mechanical engineering at UCR

Unlike the liquid in traditional lithium-ion batteries, which degrade over time, pose fire risk, and limit charging speed, the solid material used in solid-state batteries offers a more stable and safer environment, enabling more efficient charging with fewer safety concerns.

With its superior qualities compared to current lithium-ion batteries, SSBs have been gaining a lot of traction among companies, but so far, the technology remains in the development stage. Not for long now, though.

Real-World Validation: Solid-State Batteries in EVs (QS/VW Demo)

This week, solid-state battery developer QuantumScape (QS ), along with its business partner PowerCo, made a live demonstration of its energy-dense solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering a vehicle.

PowerCo is the battery business of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. VW is the owner of brands like Audi, Bentley, CUPRA, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, and Škoda. The company also produces light commercial vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles like MAN and Scania, while CARIAD is the software and technology unit for all Volkswagen Group vehicles.

VW Group and PowerCo have been long-term investors in QuantumScape’s solid-state technology and have been testing their prototype cells for years.

Now, for the first time, QuantumScape, PowerCo, and Volkswagen Group have showcased the new tech at IAA Mobility in Munich, one of the world’s largest mobility trade fairs.

Pulling the black sheet off the vehicle, they revealed a modified, fully electric Ducati V21L race motorcycle, which is wholly powered by QSE-5 solid-state cells.

The solid-state cells in the motorcycle were assembled using QuantumScape’s proprietary manufacturing platform (Cobra production process), which allows for faster heat treatment, requires less floor space, and eliminates certain material steps. The first-of-its-kind battery system, meanwhile, is designed by specialists at Audi, specifically for QS SSB cells.

The demonstration marks a big achievement not just for the companies involved but also the electric vehicle (EV) sector, as it was the first time that QuantumScape’s anode-free cells moved from the manufacturing plant into an actual vehicle for the world to see.

“Today we’ve crossed the threshold from possibility to reality.”

– QuantumScape CEO and president Dr. Siva Sivaram

The company’s partnership with PowerCo, he noted, positions QuantumScape to scale its transformative technology to gigawatt-hour (GWh) production, and together they will “help usher in a new era of electrified transportation.”

According to the official announcement, the world’s first live demonstration of QS solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering an EV represents a significant advancement in battery technology and a big step towards commercializing solid-state EVs.

With this tech, the goal is to help advance the EV revolution, which PowerCo CEO Frank Blome says “is the biggest transformation the automotive industry has ever seen.”

SSBs will redefine what’s possible for high-performance, premium vehicles with the demonstration being just the beginning, he added.

QuantumScape’s Roadmap For Prototype to Production

With traditional lithium-ion batteries reaching the limits of their possible energy density and safety as portable electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy grids become more widespread and demanding, QuantumScape has turned to solid-state batteries to provide greater energy density, faster charging, and enhanced safety to support the transition to a lower-carbon future.

It is currently leading the global race of solid-state battery development, all set to bring its full-fledged solid-state cells to the EV market at scale in the near future.

The recent demonstration of its tech for the world to see actually sent the share prices of the $5 billion market cap company surging. At the time of writing, QS is trading at $8.85, up a whopping 70.52% YTD, though it is still far off its all-time high (ATH) of $132.73 hit late in 2020.