Information on the Use of Solid-State Electrolyte Batteries in Electric Vehicles

Currently, liquid lithium ion batteries are used in electric vehicles (EVs).  However, these liquid lithium ion batteries have characteristics that are causing EV manufactures to seek improved batteries for their vehicles.  These characteristics include: leaking issues with toxic organic liquid electrolytes; short battery life due to discharge degradation effects; low energy density; long time to charge; volume expansion; limitations on what anodes can be used; flammability of electrolytes; and poor thermal stability. 

The battery technology that is most frequently referred to on the Internet as being of most interest in replacing the liquid lithium ion battery is the solid-state electrolyte battery (SSB).  After many years and several groups researching and developing solid-state electrolyte use in batteries, sufficient success seems to be near for EV manufacturers to replace liquid lithium ion batteries with SSBs. 

The Internet was searched for examples of the current or planned use of SSBs by EV manufactures and the following is what I found: 

• Toyota, BMW, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, and Volkswagen expect to commercialize SSBs by 2025 
• SSB research companies QuantumScope, Solid Power, and Ionic Materials are being funded by EV manufacturers 
• Toyota plans to unveil an SSB-powered EV at the 2020 Olympics (postponed to 2021) 
• Mercedes-Benz unveils an electric bus with a 440-kWh solid-state battery pack 
• Mercedes-Benz EVs to be powered by SSBs 
• Hercules Electric Vehicles and Prieto Battery have signed an agreement to develop Prieto’s SSBs for use in Hercules EVs starting in 2025 
• Mercedes-Benz announced a partnership with the Canadian utility company Hydro-Quebec to develop SSBs 
• General Motors indicates it is “almost there” on developing a EV battery that will last one million miles (possibly an SSB) 
• Toyota and Panasonic are working with the Japanese Government on SSBs 
• Samsung has said its first SSB could provide up to 500 miles of range per charge 

The following companies specialize in SSB research and development: 

• Ampcera (American)
• Ilika (British)
• Ionic Materials (American)
• ION Storage Systems (American)
• NEI (American)
• Qingtao Energy (Chinese)
• QuantumScope (American)
• Solid Power (American)
• Toho Titanium (Japanese) 

After extensive research and development over several years by many companies, company and other news sources suggest that SSBs will in the next few years have a good chance of being used in EVs.   If so, this would be a huge milestone in EV acceptance.  Because of the expected superiority of SSBs to liquid lithium ion batteries, those companies first to market with best-in-class SSBs should benefit most in the EV market.