With solid-state batteries, electric vehicles should be able to achieve an autonomy (driving range) matching—and eventually surpassing—that of cars with an internal combustion engine.
For electric cars to really take off, they ideally should match—or even exceed—the driving range of vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The key to achieving this lies in the battery itself, more specifically in the use of solid-state battery-cell technology.
At the heart of today’s EVs are lithium-ion battery (LiB) cells that contain liquid electrolytes. The best-in-class of these “wet” LiB cells have an energy density of around 700 watt-hours per liter (Wh/l), accomodating a maximum driving range of about 500km. Yet, their energy density is expected to stagnate at around 800 Wh/l due to the characteristics of their active materials. A higher energy density can be expected from solid-state batteries, which contain a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one. In combination with new battery-pack and battery-module developments, the autonomy of electric cars could significantly be extended.
Ilika plc (LON:IKA) is a pioneer in materials innovation and has been inventing new materials for energy and electronics applications for over a decade. Global brands such as Rolls Royce and Toyota have long term collaborations with Ilika’s development teams.
