While big jumps in EV battery technology have been rare in the last years, OEM and battery specialists announce a new wave of batteries to enter the market in the next years (see link to article below).
BMW will roll out its new EV platform “Neue Klasse” in 2025 and alongside, a new battery that holds 20% more energy and increases charging speed and range by 30%.
SES AI is developing a new kind of lithium-metal battery, a hybrid of the applied lithium-ion and the high-potential solid-state battery, which is still under development. The hybrid battery possesses a 50% higher energy density and can be manufactured using existing production facilities, contrary to the solid-state battery. This is crucial because lithium-ion-focused production facilities are currently built around the globe. GM, Honda, and Hyundai are already partnering up with SES AI. The battery is said to go into production in 2026.
StoreDot is leveraging silicon to enhance the range and charging speed of batteries. Its current technology can charge 100 miles (160 km) in 5 minutes. By 2028, the company strives to achieve the same range in only 3 minutes. Polestar is testing the current batteries while Mercedes, Volvo, and BP are investors and partners.
QuantumScape is developing solid-state batteries, as previously mentioned. They are praised to be the “holy grail” of battery technology as they theoretically outperform all other battery technologies in all relevant measures. However, they come at a price as the complexity of the battery requires extensive research and eventually new production lines. QuantumScape predicts that test batteries will be ready next year, but BMW does not foresee a practical application in the next years.
Advances in range and charging speed are essential for the success of BEVs in competition with combustion engines. Currently, we see that political pressure is the only driving force behind the introduction of electric cars, as price, range, and charging speed are still perceived as hurdles for customers because sustainable thinking and energy autonomy are not enough.
Conclusively, as the article correctly states: The EV battery is ready to make technological leaps, but nothing is certain until the first EVs successfully hit the market.