What’s the big deal? That’s simple, range anxiety could be a thing of the past. The respected English magazine AutoCar wrote ‘The manufacturer that brought us the first mainstream electric cars could also be about to become the first to bring us the next big thing in EVs: a car with double the range for less money’. The company they refer to is Japanese manufacturer NISSAN.

Double the range, less expensive

Nissan seems to be ahead of the game with this new technology, but others won’t be far behind. The EV pioneer claims its ASSB technology will be a game-changer with the “potential” for around twice the energy density of today’s liquid-electrolyte batteries – in other words, as mentioned, half the size and weight for the same capacity of today’s equivalent.

Needless to say many countries are working on these game-changing batteries, and China is taking a slightly different technology but plans to go to market fastest. In May China announced that it is investing 6 billion yuan (about US $826 million) into a fund meant to accelerate the development of solid-state batteries by the nation’s leading battery manufacturers. CarNewsChina.com reported that their new WeLion cells have an energy density of 360 watt-hours per kilogram. WeLion battery packs delivered more than 1,000 kilometres of driving range on a single charge.


New battery available this year?

Chinese car manufacturer Nio says it plans to roll out the new battery type across its vehicle lineup this year. WeLion cells have an energy density of 360 watt-hours per kilogram. Fully packaged, the battery’s density rating is 260 Wh/kg. That’s still a major improvement over lithium iron phosphate batteries, whose density tops out at 160 Wh/kg. In tests conducted last month with Nio’s EVs in Shanghai, Chengdu, and several other cities, the WeLion battery packs delivered more than 1,000 kilometres of driving range on a single charge.


The race is on

Every indication is that China car manufacturers will come to market first, even this year. With such a dramatic change in range, power and charging times, nobody can afford to come far behind. Chinese startup Farasis Energy, founded in Ganzhou, China, in 2009, is collaborating with Mercedes-Benz to commercialize advanced batteries. U.S. startup QuantumScape says the solid-state lithium metal batteries it’s developing will offer an energy density of around 400 Wh/kg. They say that its cells eliminate the charging bottleneck that occurs in conventional lithium-ion cells. QuantumScape’s advanced batteries will allow fast charging from 10 to 80 percent in 15 minutes. That’s still a far way off, but the Silicon Valley-based company announced in March that it had begun shipping its prototype Alpha-2 semi-solid-state cells to manufacturers for testing.

Solid Power, it’s also solid-state or bust. Solid Power, which aims to commercialize a lithium battery with a proprietary sulphide-based solid electrolyte, has partnered with major automakers Ford and BMW.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: michael-fousert;

When will the first solid state powered EV come to market?

Considering the various factors at play, predicting a timeline for the market introduction of solid-state batteries involves analysing current industry forecasts and expert predictions. According to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), solid-state batteries could see commercial availability as early as 2025, with companies like BMW and Ford investing heavily in the technology. Key milestones in the development process include the successful scaling of production techniques, which could occur within the next few years if ongoing research yields positive results. Furthermore, factors such as government incentives, consumer demand for electric vehicles, and the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions could accelerate the adoption of solid-state battery technology. Conversely, delays in overcoming technical challenges or economic constraints could push the timeline further into the future. As the industry continues to evolve, the interplay of these factors will ultimately dictate when solid-state batteries will become a viable option for consumers, marking a significant shift in the landscape of energy storage solutions.

What seems evident is that China will be the first to market with their WeLion battery. Following a period of development and refinement, Nio has begun incorporating solid-state technology into its lineup. The company filed documentation with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, outlining its plans to equip several existing electric vehicle models with these enhanced battery packs from WeLion. The 150 kWh semi-solid state pack offers several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, at least double the range and much faster charging.

With major competitors like Tesla, Volkswagen, and even Toyota actively researching and developing solid-state batteries, this technology has the potential to become the dominant force in electric vehicle power in the coming years. The widespread adoption of semi-solid state batteries has the capability to significantly reshape the EV landscape, offering drivers greater range, improved safety, and faster charging capabilities.


The end of EV range anxiety is about to end

Once the first solid-state battery-powered vehicles come on to the market, and that could even be this year, other car giants will have to switch into overdrive. You might not have to wait long for this new technology.

Author

Resident in Portugal for 50 years, publishing and writing about Portugal since 1977. Privileged to have seen, firsthand, Portugal progress from a dictatorship (1974) into a stable democracy. 

Paul Luckman