Solid Power is producing pilot-scale quantities of an innovative new solid-state battery cell with backing from BMW, Ford Motor, and Tesla Motors. The startup company, based in Colorado, claims electric vehicle owners who use this new cell will benefit from increased range, shorter recharging times, lower costs, and reduced fire risk.
Automakers for decades have invested heavily in research and development of a solid-state battery design that can be mass-produced at a reasonable cost, compelled by these benefits.
Often used in electronic devices, solid-state batteries are so named because they do not contain a liquid or gel electrolyte, typical components of lithium-ion batteries.
Electric vehicle manufacturers seek batteries durable enough to withstand years of use without catching fire. Consumer electronics with damaged lithium-ion batteries are notoriously susceptible to bursting into flame, according to the American Chemical Society.
Solid Power’s competitors are also striving to develop EV batteries that are mass-producible at an affordable price. These include publicly-traded QuantumScape and privately-funded initiatives, some backed by individuals and others by auto giants such as Toyota.
The advantage for Solid Power is that its lithium-ion battery cells can be produced using “industry-standard processes“—the same tooling equipment and processes that current factories already use. Most of their competitors’ designs require building highly specialized, expensive manufacturing facilities.
As it finetunes its battery design and production process, Solid Power will manufacture minimal quantities of batteries for its pilot line. Internal testing will analyze the efficiency of the design and the company’s manufacturing strategy.
Doug Campbell, the company’s chief executive officer, explained that BMW and Ford will receive initial shipments by year’s end. These Solid Power partners will test the battery in prototype vehicles, a critical step in the “validation” process necessary before mass-producing batteries for automakers.
Campbell anticipates these automakers will approve Solid Power’s battery design by mid-2024. Once that goal is accomplished, the startup would deliver its design to an existing battery manufacturer for mass production and could be on the market by 2028.
