Recently, the two-car giants, BMW and Ford, are accelerating the research and development of solid-state batteries, and plan to start loading vehicles from 2022 and start testing in actual working conditions. In 2017, BMW and Ford announced their investment in Solid Power, a developer of all-solid-state batteries for electric vehicles. The latter officially became the future supplier of solid-state batteries for the two automakers.
It is currently reported that Solid Power will build a second plant in Colorado, USA. The new plant will expand the production capacity of key materials for all-solid-state batteries, including annual production of up to 30 metric tons of sulfide-based solid electrolyte materials, which is 25 times more than the current capacity.
It is reported that the electrolyte production of the new plant is to directly supply the company’s upcoming all-solid-state electric vehicle battery production line, which is expected to produce batteries for automotive certification testing and future battery pack design.
Solid Power is expected to produce and deliver the first batch of 100Ah batteries in 2022. Ford and BMW may begin to carry and test these solid-state batteries in practice at the beginning of 2022. Between 2025 and 2030, solid-state battery technology will mature and be put on the market. Test them in actual conditions.
Solid Power does not intend to become a competitor to companies such as Panasonic, LG, and CATL, and sees itself as a materials company. Solid Power CEO Doug Campbell said that it hopes to produce enough electrolyte materials to support the battery capacity of 10-gigawatt hours by 2027, for which it will need more electrolyte production capacity.
