If there is a promising technology in the field of electromobility, and which causes all kinds of repeated comments in the specialized media, it is the one that will probably use the batteries of the future, based on a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid that is common in today’s lithium-ion batteries.
On paper, what are known as solid-state batteries have all the advantages, as we will explain later, but one of the most important companies in the sector, StoreDot, has just thrown cold water on the expectations of many. According to the CEO, it will take at least 10 years for these types of devices to reach mass production. According to Doron Meyersdorff, car manufacturers would do well to consider stop-start technologies such as semi-solid batteries in the medium term.
The Israeli businessman believes it is crucial that battery developers provide car brands with a “realistic and hype-free roadmap” to deploy ultra-fast charging technologies. Now, despite “some overly optimistic claims” from competitors, solid-state batteries are “still 10 years away,” he notes.
Instead, StoreDot suggests betting on semi-solid-state batteries, which it predicts will be ready for mass production by 2028. “They will be advanced, safe and high quality cells that can reach 100 miles. [unos 160 kilómetros] Charging in just 3 minutes – noted Meyersdorf. They have the added benefit of requiring a simpler manufacturing process that is less complex than solid-state technologies. ”
The firm focuses, as we can see, on the charging speed of electric vehicles as a real Rubicon from which emission-free mobility will finally develop. That is why it is already working, for example, to have batteries in 2024 that recover the energy needed to travel 160 kilometers in 5 minutes, which currently available technologies cannot offer.
In later stages, 160 km will be charged in 3 minutes, as promised by the CEO of StoreDot by 2028, and by 2032 it will be possible to get the same range in just 2 minutes. This year 2022, the company was able to live test the extremely fast charging of an electric car battery in 10 minutes.
More efficient and safer devices
If you ignore the complexity and cost of their production, solid-state batteries are far superior to current lithium-ion batteries in everything. Unlike those that use a liquid electrolyte, they use a solid material, such as a gold nanowire wrapped in manganese and immersed in a gel or glass electrolyte.
Liquid lithium ends up solidifying, which worsens the separation between the electrodes with several undesirable consequences: loss of performance, overheating, short circuits and, in the worst case, explosion. Solid-state devices prevent this degradation, extending their useful life and providing greater safety, in addition to achieving significant improvements in battery life and charging time.
In a solid-state battery, the electrolyte is non-flammable and therefore less likely to develop dangerous dendrites, a problem that lithium-ion batteries present and which can lead to the dreaded short circuits and even fires we see from time to time. on social media. The new systems also make it easier to control their temperature and use simpler cooling devices.
As if that weren’t enough, they also benefit from a higher energy density, with some studies showing up to 70% more energy per unit volume. In this way, they enable smaller and lighter batteries, which should in principle alleviate the weight problems that plague electric cars and therefore contribute to more satisfactory autonomy on the road.
The semi-solid, or quasi-solid, batteries provided by StoreDot are also superior to the lithium that is common today. They offer greater energy capacity in terms of mass and volume, full charge capacity in minutes, and longer service life, as well as longer charge and discharge cycles than conventional batteries.
Although somewhat similar to a solid, such as its ability to withstand weight and retain its shape, a quasi-solid shares some of the properties of liquids, such as conforming to the shape of a container or flowing under pressure.
Source: El Diario
