Solid-state battery technology is widely expected to be the next big thing in the EV world, as it promises higher energy density, lower cost and more safety than current Li-ion designs.
However, Mercedes Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer recently voiced a contrarian view, saying that solid-state batteries “may not be necessary,” thanks to developments in lithium-ion-based battery tech.
Speaking to journalists at CES 2024, Schäfer said he doesn’t see that solid-state cells have “a major cost advantage or energy advantage” because “so many people have worked on the conventional cells, making them so much better.”
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Schäfer sounded pessimistic that the cost of EVs in general would be dropping any time soon. “We know the electric drivetrain is still way more expensive than a combustion drivetrain. That’s a fact. We do our battery research; we have our labs. I don’t really see a game changer coming on cost production for batteries, not a significant one.”
Delivering a production battery that offers the desired energy density, cost and safety improvements is taking longer than many in the industry expected, Schäfer said. Meanwhile, lithium-ion battery development hasn’t been standing still.
“There were some very optimistic forecasts a while ago,” Schäfer said. “It reminds me a little of forecasting autonomous driving. We invested in some cool startups here in the US and Korea in solid-state, and I’m watching the big names in this…but for me, it’s a head-to-head race now.”
Schäfer conceded that solid-state batteries will have a safety advantage, but noted that battery makers have been making safety improvements to Li-ion battery packs, which increasingly feature impact protection and other safeguards to avoid damage that can cause fires.
Source: SlashGear
