The battery is the heart of the electric car, for it directs the nature of the interface with people. How many miles are there between recharges, and how long do these take to complete? Design is one thing, but the modern driver demands performance too. Could solid-state electric cars be on the center stage soon? The website Next Big Future replies in the affirmative. Why is this so?
How Solid-State Electric Cars Could Be Different
Batteries have had liquid electrolytes since earliest days. These allow ions to exchange between electrodes, while electrons flow as electric energy through devices. However, liquid electrolytes have their disadvantages too. They can leak. Some may even catch alight.
Moreover, some ions get lost in the flow through the electrolyte. Eventually the battery runs out of ‘fuel’ and dies. Solid state batteries use compact electrolytes with less internal resistance. Recharging is faster and more ions get through. That’s why solid-state electric cars have potential to be superior to those with fluid electrolytes. Needless to say, there are two sides to the debate.
More Advantages of Solid-State Batteries
Since their electrolyte is dense as opposed to fluid, this takes up less physical space. The result is lighter cars, less wear on roads, longer-lasting tires and so on. Moreover, solid-state electric cars benefit from two to three times more stored energy. So they can also travel further between recharges.
However, the big deal breaker could prove to be recharging time itself. Henrik Fisker has promised to have one-minute charging times by 2024. We would need a great step forward before lithium-ion batteries catch up. Moreover, the electrolyte in solid-state electric cars does not ignite.
It is said we should stick to what we do best. Tesla chose to invent its own batteries and design its own electric cars. However, Toyota and BMW are going the solid-state route. This could also have something to do with the cost of solid-state technology being one-third of lithium. Hence, our dreams of solid-state electric cars taking over could well come true.
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Preview Image: Toyota Research
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