Hyundai Motor Group’s research and development chief, Manfred Harrer, believes that solid-state batteries are still worth pursuing, despite the challenges in producing them at an automotive scale. “You cannot give up right now on that. That’s clear,” he told reporters. “You must be in the game.” This statement indicates that Harrer is committed to the development of solid-state batteries.
The batteries in today’s electric vehicles use a liquid electrolyte to transport lithium ions between a cell’s anode and cathode. Solid-state batteries, on the other hand, substitute this solution for a solid, often a ceramic or polymer, potentially bringing both safety and performance benefits. These benefits are a key factor in the industry’s interest in solid-state batteries.
Harrer said that the potential advantages of solid-state batteries, including a smaller battery, better fast-charging capability, and longer range, are hard to ignore. Within the next five years, he believes that there will be small-volume halo cars on the market with solid-state packs. This timeline suggests that solid-state batteries will become available in limited quantities within the near future.
However, the raw material costs of solid-state batteries will remain extraordinarily high for many years as the technology scales up, keeping them out of the mass market. “You can solve, in the end, everything, but it comes with cost, tremendous cost,” Harrer said. This cost factor will be a significant obstacle to the widespread adoption of solid-state batteries.
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Hyundai is developing solid-state batteries internally and alongside partners, like Solid Power. The company is not alone in its investment in the technology, which Harrer calls “the big bet in the industry right now.” Other automakers, including Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Nissan, are also working on solid-state batteries. They are all attempting to develop this technology to improve their electric vehicles.
While some companies have demonstrated prototypes with solid-state batteries, none have put them into a car that can be bought by consumers. Harrer wants Hyundai to be ready with its own supply chain and know-how once the technology is mature.
Harrer said that Hyundai sees a lot of value in deeply understanding what it takes to make batteries and the costs associated with that. The company plans to put in-house nickel manganese cobalt cells in the Santa Fe extended-range EV that hits the market early next year. This move indicates that Hyundai is committed to developing its own battery technology.
However, it will be a considerably longer wait before solid-state batteries make their way into the mainstream. Harrer told reporters that he does not believe the raw material cost problem can be solved in five years. This means that solid-state batteries will not be widely available for some time.