More range, half the charging time, hardly any risk of fire – is the so-called solid-state battery the super battery of the future for electric cars? A study by the Fraunhofer Institute sheds light on what the market is currently like.
Manufacturers of e-cars are hoping for them: the so-called solid-state battery, which could solve the problems of long charging times and short ranges in e-cars. However, according to a study published on Monday by the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI in Karlsruhe, it will still be some time before this technology is able to assert itself in comparison to the previously dominant lithium-ion battery (LIB). “Oxide and sulfide-based solid-state batteries are not expected to appear on a larger scale in the automotive market in the next five years,” the ISI study states.
This is because the technology for this type of battery is not yet mature, said Thomas Schmaltz, who coordinated the research work on the roadmap at Fraunhofer ISI. For the study, around 50 experts from Germany and abroad were asked online about their assessment of the market and research, and around 25 additional interviews were conducted. Various technologies are highlighted, such as the oxide and sulfide-based solid-state batteries that various start-ups are currently working on. Only the polymer solid state battery is currently on the market on a larger scale. According to Schmaltz, however, it is not suitable for electric cars because it has to be heated in order to function.
Europe must speed up development of solid state battery
With solid-state batteries, the charge is no longer transported through a liquid carrier material. This makes the cells lighter, which increases the range of the vehicles. The risk of fire is also estimated to be lower. A higher energy density should also enable faster charging. The charging time is a weak point of the lithium-ion battery. Large car manufacturers such as BMW and Ford have been investing in solid-state battery research for some time. So far, the market has been dominated by lithium-ion batteries. In addition to e-cars, they can also be found in laptops or smartphones.
While Germany is not doing badly in basic research, things are not looking so good for the – albeit very expensive – pilot production of solid-state batteries, said Schmaltz. According to the study, Asian and American actors dominate here. Europe as a whole needs to step up its game and invest more money from public or private sources in order to play a leading role in the development of solid state batteries in the future.
Source: Stern
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