Carmaker Stellantis plans to launch a test fleet of electric vehicles featuring solid state batteries, a much-anticipated technology with potential to boost EV range, affordability, and fire safety.
In 2021, Stellantis invested US$75 million in Factorial, a Massachusetts startup developing solid state battery technology. Factorial’s batteries offer “higher energy density, reduced weight, improved performance, and a potential for further reduction in total vehicle cost over time,” the carmaker says. Factorial claims its batteries could extend EV range by 600 miles, or 80%.
Solid state batteries differ from lithium-ion by using a solid separator made of ceramic or polymer in place of a liquid electrolyte, which could reduce the risk of fire. The batteries can also extend vehicle range, their increased capacity enabled by lighter-weight lithium anodes that permit an energy density of up to 391 watt-hours per kilogram—more than double the capacity of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, writes New Atlas.
Factorial CEO Siyu Huang told the Volts podcast in July that the company’s solid state batteries use more lithium than conventional batteries because of their lithium, rather than graphite, anodes. While the metal can be sourced domestically, the shift may intensify environmentally costly mining practices.
But the batteries may ultimately be easier to disassemble and recycle, Huang added. Factorial is partnering with Korean conglomerate Young Poong to develop recycling methods.
Despite the promise of solid state technology, some experts question its scalability, particularly as lithium-ion batteries continue to improve in capacity, cost, and range.
Huang said both battery types likely have a place in the EV market, with solid state batteries powering higher-end vehicles, and shorter-range lithium-ion units dominating the middle- and lower-price ranges.
Stellantis said its prototypes will be on the road by 2026.
