The first BMW EVs powered by all-solid-state batteries are now on the road for testing. BMW used an i7 to test the “holy grail” of EV battery tech, promising longer driving range at a lower cost.
BMW and Solid Power have been working together since 2022 to advance the new EV battery tech. In December 2022, BMW revealed plans to license Solid Power’s tech for a new solid cell prototype line at its Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf, Germany.
BMW follows Mercedes-Benz, which announced in February it had put “the first car powered by a lithium-metal solid-state battery on the road” through its partnership with US-based Factorial Energy. Mercedes used a modified EQS, fitted with solid-state batteries. With an expected 40% weight savings compared to current Li-ion batteries, Factorial aims to unlock over 600 miles of driving range.
Source: Electrek: Read The Article
PSR Analysis: German automakers are not the only ones advancing this promising new battery tech. Global battery leaders CATL and BYD are also expected to launch EVs with all-solid-state batteries in the next few years. BYD’s battery business expects its first EVs with all-solid-state batteries to arrive in 2027. We can expect that testing will take several years before we can see this technology in production vehicles. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
