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Tomorrow’s quantum computers, based on the law of superposition of quantum states, could be used to analyze the charging and discharging cycles of electric vehicle batteries. Hyundai wants to rely on them.
Hyundai is cooperating with the American company IonQ, which specializes in quantum computing, to improve future batteries for electric cars. The objective would be to optimize the charging and discharging cycles of next-generation batteries, but also to analyze their durability, capacity and safety through simulations of battery chemistry based on quantum computing.
Hyundai and IonQ intend to develop variational quantum resolution (VQE) algorithms to study lithium compounds and their reactions in battery chemistry. Measured in numbers of qubits and quantum gates, Hyundai says it will be the most advanced battery chemistry model on quantum computers. The model should be able to simulate and control the chemical reactions within the battery during charging and discharging more accurately than before. Hyundai believes that this research could lead to new types of materials that will make it easier and cheaper to manufacture batteries in the future.
“This creative collaboration with IonQ should lead to innovation in the development of base materials for various parts of future mobility, said TaeWon Lim, executive vice president and head of materials research and engineering center at Hyundai Motor Group. We are excited to enter the coming quantum era and take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead with more efficient batteries.”
“At IonQ, we believe in our mission to solve the world’s most complex problems through the continuous development of our quantum computers. And we see global climate change as one of those problems that we can help solve with quantum chemical solutions.”, said Peter Chapman, President and CEO of IonQ.
Hyundai aims to increase sales of its electric vehicles to 560,000 units by 2025. To achieve this, more than 12 battery-electric models are to be launched in the coming years. If the Ioniq 5 is the first purely electric model of the E-GMP platform, others will follow very quickly, specifies the manufacturer. In Europe, Hyundai wants to stop selling internal combustion engines by 2035 and become a pure electric vehicle brand.