High-Energy Battery

An experimental lithium-ion battery could double the range of electric cars without increasing cost. Since batteries are the single highest ticket item in today’s electric vehicles, anything that can be done to cut cost or improve range can have a huge impact. And since they take up between 20 and 30 percent of the vehicle weight, energy content per system weight and volume is also an important consideration going forward.

The new, flat battery is solid-state, however, the manufacturer has overcome some of the biggest issues that others have encountered with non-liquid electrolytes. Like other solid electrolyte batteries, it utilizes pure lithium to improve conductivity. But unlike existing batteries, which incorporate other materials like graphite in order to prevent metal filaments from forming short circuits, the new technology eliminates the extra material to improve energy storage capacity. To prevent filaments from forming it contains two distinct polymer layers – one soft layer that conducts ions more effectively and one hard layer that forms a physical barrier between the electrodes.

Most importantly, the battery can be manufactured on conventional equipment, which will help keep costs down. Further testing is needed to determine how many charge/discharge cycles may be expected from the new design. Evaluation samples are expected to become available within the next year.