BMW is close to producing a prototype solid electrolyte battery

BMW has deepened cooperation with American startup Solid Power and is close to producing a prototype battery with a solid electrolyte. It is to start producing cells in the first half of this year, and by 2025 the automaker should be ready to start testing batteries with a solid electrolyte in a vehicle.

This is reported by the website Automotive News with reference to Peter Lamp, head of battery development at BMW. “We have good teams on the Solid Power side and on the BMW side,” the Lampa website quotes.

Solid electrolyte batteries still use lithium, but the electrolyte in the cells is solid, not liquid. They are intended to provide longer range, faster charging and less risk of fire than current lithium-ion batteries, all with lower production costs. A number of startups and car companies are working on their development, and it is expected that they will be in cars this decade, but there are still many obstacles in front of developers.

Lithium-ion batteries are close to their zenith, according to Simon Erhard from BMW. “From the point of view of energy density, I would say that we are facing the optimal lithium-ion cell in industrial use,” said Erhard.

“Let’s say in about ten years, batteries with solid electrolyte will be everywhere. But now in three, five, eight years we will be relying on lithium-ion technology,” he added.