Recharging in half the time of a Tesla: An emerging solid-state new battery technology could be the next big thing for electric vehicles.
Recharging in half the time of a Tesla: An emerging solid-state new battery technology could be the next big thing for electric vehicles.
While Tesla and Porsche are the current benchmarks for recharging electric cars in record time, a new technology backed by German car giant Volkswagen and tech guru Bill gates claims to take things to the next level.
QuantumScape, a American company based in San Jose California, is developing a new solid-state battery that promises to slash charging times while also increase energy density, which can improve electric vehicle range.
The technology is so impressive, Tesla co-founder JB Straubel has labelled it ‘game-changing’.
“Seeing these performance numbers is almost unheard-of: roughly 50% improvement in volumetric energy density is incredible when we are used to seeing single-digit percent per year, and that was hard to achieve and a great outcome” he said at a press conference hosted by QuantumScape.
The battery technology in question uses a lithium-metal chemistry, which doesn’t require excess lithium on the battery anode, allowing for a much higher energy density for the same given size.
If QuantumScape batteries make it into vehicles on the road, the new solid-state technology could improve the driving range of electric vehicles by almost double, putting them on a level playing field against internal combustion engines.
The benefits do not end there: QuantumScape also claims that the new battery technology is safe, capable of lasting hundreds of thousands of miles, and is able to operate at a wide range of temperatures.
Volkswagen has reportedly put over USD$300M into QuantumScape via investment, and is aiming to have a production line for the new battery technology by 2025. Other automotive investors in QuantumScape includes SAIC Motor and Continential Tyre.
“We believe that the performance data we’ve unveiled today shows that solid-state batteries have the potential to narrow the gap between electric vehicles and internal combustion vehicles and help enable EVs to become the world’s dominant form of transportation,” CEO Jagdeep Singh said in a press release.
“In addition, the data shows QuantumScape battery technology is capable of lasting hundreds of thousands of miles, and is designed to operate at a wide range of temperatures, including results that show operation at -30 degrees Celsius.”
Originally published at Car Advice