The battery performance of electric cars has so far been a major point of criticism. Now VW is causing a stir with a new battery. This could mean a breakthrough for e-mobility.
A new battery prototype puts current electric car batteries in the shade. (Source: Weltblick/depositphotos.com)
- Volkswagen is developing a so-called solid-state battery prototype together with the US company Quantumscape.
- In comparison to the currently common lithium-ion batteries, this consists of solid instead of liquid electrolytes.
- This is intended to achieve significantly higher performance and capacity.
The heart of an electric car is the battery and at the same time its biggest point of criticism. Long charging times and a short range are problems that manufacturers of electric cars are often faced with. In addition, like a cell phone, the battery wears out over time and therefore loses storage capacity. However, that could change in the future, as new battery technology is causing a stir.
More power and capacity thanks to solid-state battery
Volkswagen, together with US battery developer Quantumscape, has developed a so-called solid-state battery that is said to have a much longer shelf life compared to the currently common lithium-ion batteries. Accordingly, a prototype managed more than 1,000 charging cycles, which corresponds to around 500,000 kilometers driven, the companies explained to Handelsblatt. In addition, after this performance, 95 percent of the battery capacity should still be available.
In comparison, manufacturers of electric cars currently offer guarantees of 70 to 80 percent of the original battery capacity after an average of 180,000 to 200,000 kilometers driven. The performance achieved by the battery prototype from WV and Quantumscape is therefore significantly higher and could represent a real innovation.
Liquid electrolytes are used in the currently common lithium-ion batteries. The solid-state battery from VW and Quantumscape, on the other hand, consists of solid electrolytes. This should have a significantly higher energy density and a faster charging time.
Series production in 2026 at the earliest
So far this is a prototype that is intended to show what is possible with the new technology. It remains to be seen when the battery innovation will actually be used in series vehicles. Further test series are planned for this in the next few years. Series production should not begin until 2026 at the earliest.
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