The solid-state cell is acknowledged as a future-oriented technology and represents a significant advancement in battery development, promising extended ranges, reduced charging times, and heightened safety. QuantumScape, a U.S. company, has recently achieved a noteworthy milestone in this field, corroborated by PowerCo, the Volkswagen Group’s battery company. The solid-state cell surpassed expectations in the A-sample test by completing over 1,000 charging cycles, demonstrating its potential for longevity and retaining 95% of its capacity.
In the context of an electric car with a WLTP range of 500-600 kilometers, this equates to a total mileage exceeding half a million kilometers (over 310,000 miles). Remarkably, the cell exhibited minimal aging throughout the testing period, maintaining its high capacity at the conclusion of the extensive tests conducted over several months in PowerCo’s battery laboratories in Salzgitter.
PowerCo CEO Frank Blome expressed optimism, stating, “These are very encouraging results that impressively underpin the potential of the solid-state cell.” He emphasised the possibility of developing a battery cell with extended ranges, rapid charging capabilities, and minimal aging. PowerCo continues to collaborate with QuantumScape to advance towards series production.
In standardised test procedures for newly developed battery cells, robustness is a critical criterion. The industry-standard targets for this phase typically include 700 charging cycles and a maximum capacity loss of 20%. QuantumScape’s solid-state cell significantly surpassed these specifications, meeting criteria such as fast-charging capability, safety, and self-discharge.
QuantumScape’s founder and CEO, Jagdeep Singh, commented on the results, noting the exceptional performance of their anodeless solid-state lithium-metal cells. While acknowledging further work is needed to bring the technology to market, he highlighted the remarkable discharge energy retention observed during testing and expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with the Volkswagen Group and PowerCo to industrialize and expedite the technology’s market introduction.
The tested solid-state cell, comprising 24 layers, aligns with the planned series cell. The next phase involves refining and scaling the manufacturing processes on the path to series production. Volkswagen’s unified cell concept, developed by PowerCo, is inherently compatible with solid-state cell technology. The Volkswagen Group has been a key investor in QuantumScape since 2012, actively participating in the development of this innovative technology.