Solid-state batteries have the potential to make EVs far more affordable and practical, but their commercial development has a record of false promises that would make Tesla’s full self-driving blush. That means reporting on them is tricky, but we’re seeing some promising news from Imec, a well-established R&D giant based in Belgium. As part of its SOLiDIFY project, the EU-supported firm and its 13 partners have manufactured a prototype solid-state battery with a 1070 Wh/L energy density, nearly 25 percent higher than the best lithium-ion cells (800 Wh/L). Better still, it uses a manufacturing process that works at room temperature, is adaptable to current lithium-ion battery product lines and is projected to cost less than 150 euros (about $167) per kWh, compared to about $140/kWh for current batteries. The breakthrough was something called “liquid-to-solid” solidification. The consortium was able to boost the cell’s charge rate to three hours and lifetime to 100 cycles, overcoming various challenges. Further development is needed to improve charging times and cycles, as well as to scale up the technology for industrial use, but the potential benefits in terms of energy density, charging times, and safety at a lower cost make the effort worthwhile.
