Solid-state batteries have long been touted as the technological breakthrough that electric car makers are striving to bring to market. Finally, it looks like 2025 could mark a crucial step on the technology's path to becoming ready for production.
These next-generation batteries are regarded as a holy grail for EVs because they offer greater capacity and more range than similar-sized lithium ion packs used today.
Those batteries are composed of an anode and a cathode at opposite ends of the cell, with a physical ‘separator’ preventing them from touching, and a gel-like liquid in the middle.
In a solid-state battery, the make-up is simplified. The liquid is replaced by a solid block, which is lighter than its counterpart and can carry more energy within the same capacity.
The solid element is also less reactive than the liquid, so it’s much less likely to ignite if punctured or heated. This means fewer ‘redundant’ safety systems are required.
The removal of a liquid element is also expected to mean the end of range drop-offs caused by high or low temperatures and the introduction of higher charging speeds.
Solid state is important to car makers because it enables more flexibility. For example, smaller and lighter EVs can be launched with comparable electric ranges to today’s models, while larger vehicles will be able to offer a much longer range from similar-sized packs.
The technology is already being tested around the globe, although it is still a few years from widespread adoption. In China, which is one market at the forefront of the technology, SAIC-owned IM Motors currently offers its L6 saloon with a semi-solid-state battery – a halfway house to a full-solid-state battery that uses a more viscous, gel-like electrolyte than the liquid in a lithium ion cell.
This pack allows an extra 33kWh of battery capacity to be crammed into the same space as an equivalent lithium ion pack. That equates to a 28% improvement in the car’s range to a total of 621 miles, according to Chinese homologation testing.
It’s not just IM Motors, either. Rival Nio launched a semi-solid pack for its ET7 saloon earlier this year, which offers more than 650 miles of range per charge.
But what about the brands you can actually buy a car from in the UK? We list their latest efforts here:
Stellantis
The huge multi-brand car maker will begin road testing semi-solid packs made by start-up Factorial in 2026, using a fleet of modified Dodge Charger Daytonas.
Stellantis has said it will prioritise its biggest cars from the likes of Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Maserati, based on the STLA Large platform, for the cells.
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Yes, it all sounds promising,but a car with 600+ miles range, charges in ten minutes,and costs around £20K?, that, and the fact the infrastructure for charging to be like filling up with fossil fuels isn't or seems not to be keeping up,that's not the car makers fault I know, but is a concern for is the future drivers of these Ev's.
Missed the bit about around 20k cost, where was that?
No doubt there be someone saying 600 miles on one charge isn't enough, I need to do 700 miles in one go then refuel in 5 minutes to do the return journey.
Irrelevant, my point was even if a BEV could do 600 miles or 800 miles and recharge in 15 minutes it still wouldn't be enough.
The WLTP figure isn't useless, it just needs to be thought of as what you can achieve in the optimum conditions. My EV has hit the WLTP in normal mode. It is difficult to give one figure for range - it depends on when and where you are driving it.
Bottom line for me; I'll buy an EV when I can find one for around £20k new that can cover 300 miles on a single charge, will give a decent amount of range for a 5 minute charge away from home, isn't going to blow up or catch fire unexpectedly (I know ICE cars can also catch fire for a number of reasons but you tend to get more time to do something about it, they usually happen when the car is being used so you are aware of the problem, and the fires are easier to put out) or be written off if the car sustains a minor prang.
I'm not interested in crazy acceleration that just wears out tyres quickly, loads of gadgets and in-car tech, "upmarket" nonsense or anything else that is used to justify silly EV prices.
And when the time comes to replace a degraded battery, I want to be able to do that for a more advanced replacement at that time that will be compatible with the car as a swap, and not for silly money that makes the car a write-off.
If all that sounds unrealistic, I'll continue using my current ICE car that's already lasted me twice as long as the last new car I had and is still going strong.
Maybe with the money saved from running an EV you'll save up enough to spend more than 20k on your next new car.