Stable-state battery know-how is broadly anticipated to be the subsequent massive factor within the EV world, because it guarantees increased vitality density, decrease price and extra security than present Li-ion designs.
Nevertheless, Mercedes Chief Know-how Officer Markus Schäfer just lately voiced a contrarian view, saying that solid-state batteries “might not be crucial,” due to developments in lithium-ion-based battery tech.
Talking to journalists at CES 2024, Schäfer mentioned he doesn’t see that solid-state cells have “a serious price benefit or vitality benefit” as a result of “so many individuals have labored on the standard cells, making them so significantly better.”
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Schäfer sounded pessimistic that the price of EVs generally could be dropping any time quickly. “We all know the electrical drivetrain continues to be far more costly than a combustion drivetrain. That’s a reality. We do our battery analysis; we now have our labs. I don’t actually see a sport changer approaching price manufacturing for batteries, not a major one.”
Delivering a manufacturing battery that provides the specified vitality density, price and security enhancements is taking longer than many within the business anticipated, Schäfer mentioned. In the meantime, lithium-ion battery improvement hasn’t been standing nonetheless.
“There have been some very optimistic forecasts some time in the past,” Schäfer mentioned. “It jogs my memory a bit of forecasting autonomous driving. We invested in some cool startups right here within the US and Korea in solid-state, and I’m watching the large names on this…however for me, it’s a head-to-head race now.”
Schäfer conceded that solid-state batteries may have a security benefit, however famous that battery makers have been making security enhancements to Li-ion battery packs, which more and more function influence safety and different safeguards to keep away from harm that may trigger fires.
Supply: SlashGear
