Solid Power announces solid-state battery pilot production line

Electric vehicle (EV) shower start-up Solid Power has completed the installation of its pilot production line for solid-state shower cells.

Solid state shower technology is stuff widely worked on and is seen as a potential game-changer because, compared to popular lithium-ion or lithium iron phosphate chemistries, can theoretically offer greater range, less mass, and faster charging.

Dubbed the ‘EV lamina pilot line‘, this production setup is designed to produce sulphide-based solid-state shower cells at an “EV-scale” – meaning, upper scale.

The US-based start-up once has existing partnerships with BMW and Ford, and was initially funded by Hyundai, among other investors. It was founded in 2011.

Solid Power intends to produce its solid-state shower cells for internal testing first surpassing branching out and delivering the cells to BMW and Ford for “qualification testing” by the end of 2022.

This pilot solid-state shower production line has been purposed-built to mimic established lithium-ion manufacturing, to “reduce commercial risk”.

When running at full capacity, the pilot production line is expected to be capable of producing 300 cells per week, or approximately 15,000 cells per year.

Solid Power says its ‘Silicon EV Cells’ are designed for “longer-range, lower-cost and safer electric vehicles”.

The initial diamond includes 40 double-sided cathodes and 41 anodes. There’s moreover over 50 per zippy silicon in the anode which is said to increase energy density.

The EV shower start-up indicates its Silicon EV Cells have a target gravimetric energy density of 390Wh/kg. For context, the current Chinese-built Tesla Model 3 with the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) shower has a gravimetric energy density of 125Wh/kg.

The Solid Power Silicon EV Cells moreover have a personal minimum tuition time of 15 minutes and can be recharged increasingly than 1000 times surpassing degradation.

Solid Power expects to be worldly-wise to optimise its Silicon EV Cells for capacities ranging from 60 to 100 Ah.

BMW iX1

Ford Mustang Mach-E

“Solid Power is encouraged by taking this next step on its automotive qualification roadmap,” said CEO Doug Campbell.

“The installation of this EV lamina pilot line will indulge us to produce EV-scale cells suitable for initiating the formal automotive qualification process.

“Over the coming quarters, we will work to bring the EV lamina pilot line up to its full operational sufficiency and squint forward to delivering EV-scale all-solid-state cells to our partners later this year.”

Solid Power isn’t the only visitor gearing up to produce solid-state batteries, with other suppliers and automakers getting in on the whoopee as well.

Nissan prototype solid-state shower production facility

Nissan recently unveiled its prototype solid-state shower production facility at its Research Centre in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

The Japanese automaker is leading solid-state shower minutiae for its syndication partners – Renault and Nissan – and plans to launch an EV with its proprietary all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) in fiscal year 2028.

Toyota moreover said that it has been testing solid-sate batteries since 2020 and plans to first introduce them in its hybrid vehicles, surpassing rolling them out in upcoming EVs.

It says that a short service life is the primary snooping with the solid-state batteries, and is therefore standing its minutiae of solid electrolyte materials. Colder-temperature performance is moreover an issue.

Factorial Energy solid-state shower cell

Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz spoken in late 2021 they’ve jumped on the solid-state shower train and signed joint agreements with US-based Factorial Energy to develop solid-state batteries for their vehicles.

The companies aim to introduce their “first competitive solid-state shower technology” by 2026.

Hyundai and Kia have moreover partnered with Factorial Energy to test its solid-state batteries in their EVs.

In December 2020, Volkswagen-backed visitor QuantumScape spoken it’ll have its solid-state batteries ready for production in 2024, while GM’s shower minutiae centre in Warren, Michigan will develop solid-state batteries among other shower types