Mercedes-Benz is raising its stakes in solid-state batteries, considered by many to be the “holy grail” for electric cars. In collaboration with the American company FactorialThe German brand has taken a key step with the development of Solstice batteries, which promise to revolutionize electric mobility with their record-breaking autonomy and ultra-fast charging.
According to Mercedes Technical Director Markus Schaefer, these compact batteries with an energy density of 450 Wh/kg will set new standards in “autonomy, cost and performance”. And they are not as far away as previously thought: according to Schaefer, the road testing phase will begin “in just a few months.”
The race is getting interesting: more and more advances in solid-state batteries
The development of solid-state batteries represents a fundamental milestone not only for Mercedes-Benz, but for the entire automotive industry. Proof of this is the progress that brands such as Toyota and Nissan are also making with this technology, which has announced that it will debut in four years with its next electric GT-R.
Among other things, solid-state batteries promise that we will use electric cars as easily as a combustion car, since they offer the same or more autonomy than a diesel (they can even reach 1,000 or 1,200 km) and very short charging times.
A promising technology that has been in development for decades but has yet to take off enough to overcome the most common reluctance of drivers when it comes to making the leap to electric mobility.
Although these batteries are generally expected to be ready for mass production by 2030, some brands want to speed up the race to maximize profits from their technology. This is the case of the batteries from Mercedes and Factorial, which They offer an energy density of 450 Wh/kg“which would increase the range of electric cars by 80%,” they say, although they do not specify which models are being compared.
Furthermore, this technology “is 33% more compact than current lithium-ion batteries,” which will help reduce the weight of vehicles equipped with them and, therefore, maximize their efficiency. The collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Factorial to The development of these batteries began in 2021Stellantis also participated in Factorial’s financing round at the time, which also has a development agreement with Hyundai-Kia.
Mercedes has since led several rounds of investment in Factorial, including one of 200 million dollars in 2022Mercedes has already received the first samples of Solstice cells and plans to begin testing them in its electric vehicles “very soon,” while still keeping its sights set on large-scale production by the end of the decade.
These batteries not only increase the autonomy of electric vehicles, but also solve key problems such as safety and sustainability. Factorial has invested by a dry cathode design and a sulfide-based solid-state electrolyte systemmaking them safer than conventional designs with liquid electrolytes, as they withstand temperatures above 90ºC without losing stability.
This, combined with reduced dependence on cooling systems, will contribute to energy efficiency and cost reduction. Markus Schaefer emphasized in recent statements to Reuters This technology will allow Mercedes to not only offer vehicles with greater autonomy, but also to optimize manufacturing by using cheaper materials, such as steel bodies instead of aluminum.
“Solstice offers new improvements in energy density and safety features that will help us develop electric vehicles that set new standards,” he added.
However, Mercedes is not the only company that has been investing in solid-state batteries for years. Toyota, for example, is also developing its own technology, with the backing of the Japanese Ministry of Trade and Industry and the goal of reducing its dependence on China and South Korea.
Nissan has also followed a similar strategy, working on its own solid-state battery system for its future electric vehicles. Likewise, the Chinese SAIC, to which MG belongsalso promises that it will begin to mass produce solid-state batteries in just two years. This is for electric cars, because semi-solid-state batteries for hybrids will be manufactured sooner (for example, the IM L6 already has this technology).
Finding the key to mass production of solid-state batteries without the cost being exorbitant is the main challenge facing car manufacturers. In fact, their high price is what has delayed the plans of companies such as Fisker and Dyson.
And beyond car brands, Brands like Samsung are also in this war. Their intention is to mass produce them in 2027 for electric cars and other applications.
Source: www.motorpasion.com
