- Geely to start production of solid-state battery technology this year
- Its energy density is estimated at 400 Wh/kg.
- Safer and more reliable batteries have also been promised.
Volvo parent company Geely Auto, which also owns Zeekr, Lotus and Lynk & Co, has announced it will move its solid-state battery technology from the lab to the road as it begins production and testing.
Announcing the news during Geely Holding Group’s five-year strategic communication event, the company said it will complete production of its first in-house developed solid-state battery pack (SSB) this year and take it out of the lab and into prototype vehicles for testing.
It is not known which brand will be the first to receive the technology, but Geely’s solid-state battery is claimed to offer an energy density of 400 Wh/kg. This is significantly more than the 200-300 Wh/kg offered by current liquid electrolyte lithium-ion batteries.
As a result, the automaker can equip electric vehicles with lighter and smaller battery packs, which would greatly improve ride and handling. Alternatively, larger solid-state batteries could be employed to offer a monstrous range of over 650 miles between charging stops.
Safer and more convenient
Volvo recently unveiled its latest EX60 model which the company hopes will establish the brand as a true leader in electric vehicles. The vehicle already offers a range of around 500 miles, but with SSB technology, this could easily reach the 650 to 700 mile mark.
Furthermore, Volvo is a brand synonymous with safety and Geely Auto’s SSB battery packs promise faster charging without compromising safety thanks to a lower risk of thermal runaway, as well as improved performance in the event of an accident.
That said, Geely isn’t the only automaker pursuing the technology, with countless Chinese rivals poised to bring production vehicles to market, as well as BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis Group pushing the technology among legacy automakers.
The next two years will be huge for electric vehicles, with maximum range and charging speeds taking a quantum leap in the next 24 months.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and tiktok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
