Researchers announce battery breakthrough that could improve the safety and range of electric vehicles – here’s how it could shake up the industry

Experts from 14 European laboratories reported surprising results regarding the powerful electric car battery.

According to a progress press release, the H2020 SOLiDIFY consortium is working on solid-state technology at the Imec EnergyVille laboratory in Belgium. According to the lab’s latest news, the team’s stack cell has higher capacity than conventional lithium-ion batteries, is cost-effective, and can be integrated into existing production lines.

This breakthrough could also increase the range of electric vehicles.

“This achievement was made possible through careful evaluation and optimization of new materials and advanced coatings,” the press release said.

SOLiDIFY has achieved some of its published goals for this year. The list includes a charge time of 20 minutes, a lifespan of 1,000 cycles, reduced risk of fire at temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees to 572 degrees Fahrenheit; affordable price; and sustainable production process.

According to the laboratory’s report, the unique liquid-solid approach to electrolyte production helps achieve some of these targets at minimal cost. When batteries work, ions move between two electrodes through a substance called electrolyte. Conventional batteries use liquid electrolyte, which carries a rare but serious fire hazard.

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TopSpeed ​​notes that solid-state batteries limit these chances and can increase the range of electric vehicles, which is one of the advantages of this technology. The report added that production hurdles are part of the downside.

The SOLiDIFY team may be able to answer this question by offering an affordable “room temperature controlled” assembly process.

“For the prototype solid electrolyte, a doped ionic liquid-based polymerized nanocomposite material was used, allowing for a unique liquid-to-solid solidification approach,” the lab said in a report. “The high energy density was achieved by combining a high-capacity composite cathode separated from a thin metal lithium anode by a thin solid electrolyte separator, resulting in a compact battery cell stack.”

It is important to note that this process does not require major overhauls in battery manufacturing plants, which is one of the big advantages listed in the review.

Currently, the charging speed of the cell has been increased to three hours, and the service life is 100 cycles, according to a report by EnergyVille.

While that performance won’t drop—batteries that can charge in minutes are being developed—the research could lay the foundation for a future power supply that’s better on all fronts. Low ignition risks and increased overall safety are already clearly defined checks, according to the report.

In the press release, the team added that experiments with electrode materials, coatings and other improvements will continue to “upscale” the technology, improving energy and power density.

Better batteries are critical to meeting the growing demand for electric vehicles. Cox Automotive reports that U.S. electric vehicle sales rose 11% in the third quarter to 346,309 vehicles sold compared to the same period last year, “and hit all-time highs in both volume and market share.”

Cox adds that valuable tax credits and more affordable electric vehicles are part of the reason for the growth. Tax credits of up to $7,500 are available on select new models. Motorists can then save up to $1,500 on gas and maintenance costs.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every electric vehicle that replaces a gas burner prevents thousands of pounds of lung-damaging, heat-trapping air pollution from being released.

The EnergyVille team believes that better batteries will drive even greater growth.

“The wheels are definitely in motion. But to gain further momentum, battery technology must move beyond its current state,” says the SOLiDIFY website.

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