Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

CTOnews.com, December 22 (Xinhua)-- BMW Group and solid-state battery startup Solid Power are expanding their joint development partnership.

Solid-state battery is regarded as the next generation battery technology. Compared with the widely used lithium-ion battery, solid-state battery has higher energy density, lighter weight and faster charging speed in theory.

The expanded partnership between the two companies will include the opening of a pilot production line by the BMW Group in Germany for Solid Power's prototype sulphide-based solid-state battery units. Earlier this year, Solid Power opened its own pilot production line for solid-state batteries at its US plant. Prior to the installation of the German pilot production line, BMW staff will work with Solar Power employees at its plant to optimize the battery manufacturing process.

The agreement also includes sharing Solid Power's proprietary "all-solid-state electrode and battery manufacturing technology", but does not include the company's intellectual property license. Solid Power said that once the BMW Group's pilot production line is up and running, it will be provided with sulphide-based solid electrolyte materials.

As a result of this expanded partnership, BMW has agreed to pay a total of $20 million (about 140 million yuan) to Solid Power by June 2024, depending on whether Solid Power can achieve "certain milestones."

Solid Power was founded in 2011 and was originally funded by Hyundai Motor and other investors. In addition to the BMW Group, the company has also established a cooperative relationship with Ford.

A month ago, rival battery startup StoreDot said it would be at least a decade before solid-state battery technology matured.

Still, many suppliers and automakers are preparing to produce solid-state batteries. Nissan recently unveiled a prototype of its solid-state battery production facility at the Kanagawa Prefecture Research Center in Japan. The Japanese carmaker is leading the development of solid-state batteries for its alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi and plans to launch electric vehicles (EV) equipped with its proprietary all-solid-state battery (ASSB) in fiscal year 2028.

Toyota also said it has been testing solid-state batteries since 2020 and plans to introduce solid-state batteries first in its hybrid vehicles and then in upcoming electric vehicles. Toyota says short service life is a major problem for solid-state batteries and is continuing to develop solid electrolyte materials.

Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz announced at the end of 2021 that they had signed a joint agreement with Factorial Energy to develop solid-state batteries for their vehicles. Hyundai and Kia are also working with Factorial Energy to test their solid-state batteries in their electric vehicles.

In December 2020, Volkswagen-backed company QuantumScape announced that its solid-state battery would start production in 2024, while GM's battery development center in Warren, Michigan, would also be developing a variety of batteries, including solid-state batteries.

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