Mercedes has joined forces with US-based solid state battery specialist Factorial Energy to jointly develop the next generation solid state batteries.
Mercedes and Factorial Energy plan to test prototype cells of the next generation solid state batteries starting in 2022.
The goal of the partnership is to start with the battery cell and extending development to include the entire module and integration into the vehicle battery.
Mercedes plans to offer solid state battery technology in a limited number of vehicles as part of a small series within the next five years.
Solid state batteries are one of the most promising technologies in the field of electric mobility. The main difference from current batteries is that the electrolyte is made of solid material instead of liquid as it is today.
The role of the electrolyte is to transport ions between the electrodes when charging and discharging the battery. Solid electrolytes have a number of major advantages, one of which is crucial for the future of electric mobility:
– offers an almost double energy density compared to today’s Li-Ion batteries. This means a longer range of up to 50% and shorter charging times and the battery volume remains unchanged
– the costs of solid state batteries are similar to those of liquid electrolytes.
– ensures improved battery safety
By significantly increasing range, electric models will no longer suffer from the range anxiety that has removed many potential customers. For example, with a solid state battery, a Mercedes EQS 450+ that currently has a range of 770 km will easily exceed a range of 1000 km.
Factorial Energy is the first manufacturer to succeed in developing a solid-state technology that has been scaled to 40 Ah and works at room temperature and can adopt the majority of existing cell manufacturing equipment.
Markus Schafer, Mercedes-Benz cars COO, said: “With this cooperation, we combine Mercedes-Benz’s expertise in battery development and vehicle integration with the comprehensive know-how of our partner Factorial in the field of solid-state batteries. The continuous development of innovative battery technologies will make electric mobility even more attractive for our customers”.
“For Factorial Energy, it is a privilege to collaborate with Mercedes-Benz, which basically invented the automobile,” said Siyu Huang, Co-founder and CEO of Factorial.
