Solid State Batteries

Electric vehicles are increasingly becoming more prevalent in the international market. To meet future demand, existing battery technologies must evolve. It is now fully understood that the technologies used in current lithium-ion batteries cannot adequately meet today’s needs, and solid-state batteries are seen as one of the main alternatives to address this issue.

Working Principle

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries use solid electrolytes instead of liquid electrolytes. This change offers advantages in multiple ways. First, the use of solid electrolytes now makes it possible to employ lithium metal at the anode instead of graphite. In cells with liquid electrolytes, the use of lithium metal is dangerous due to dendrite formation, which made this approach previously unfeasible. Thanks to the resistance of solid electrolytes to dendrites, this is now achievable.

Advantages

The primary advantage of using lithium metal as the anode is a significantly higher energy density compared to typical lithium-ion batteries. This helps reduce the impact of range anxiety on consumers. Another advantage is that solid electrolytes can withstand higher voltages than liquid electrolytes, enabling users to charge their electric vehicles faster and more safely.

The risk of battery fires, one of the main factors undermining confidence in electric vehicles, can also be minimized through solid-state batteries. Replacing the flammable liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte will eliminate this major risk.

Disadvantages

Although solid-state batteries offer advantages to users, their manufacturing process is more difficult than that of typical lithium-ion batteries. This results in higher production costs. The requirement to maintain precise temperature and moisture levels at every time optimum stage during production not only increases costs but also demands highly skilled labor, which is difficult to obtain.

These requirements indicate that existing production lines must undergo fundamental changes to manufacture solid-state batteries. Moreover, while using lithium metal as the anode appears advantageous in terms of energy density, there is a high likelihood that lithium metal will degrade over time, negatively affecting battery performance.