jcosta89 t1_irucgc6 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 2:31 AM

TLDR: Solid State batteries with a new material allowing them to discharge electricity as close to a lithium-ion battery.

Basically solid state batteries can cut weight up to 40% and store up to 3x the amount of energy in the same space. Solid State batteries lacked the functionality to discharge that electricity at a high rate when compared to lithium-ion batteries.

Solid state batteries also offer other benefits to include less risk for fire and issues when exposed to extreme temperatures relative to lithium-ion batteries.

jacz24 t1_iruvpzi wrote on October 11, 2022 at 5:35 AM

Does this mean potentially new car batteries in the future too? If the weight is less and the amount is more plus they are safer it sounds like the perfect use case. I’m sure I’m missing something though as to why it wouldn’t work great for cars.

jcosta89 t1_iruvzfr wrote on October 11, 2022 at 5:39 AM

Toyota and a few other companies have been researching this as well.

The output was an issue and charging them was an issue/expensive to manufacture. When charging the solid state battery would cause a type of leak (oversimplifying this) and to manufacture it correctly would cost a lot.

We’re seeing the early adopter phase of the EV I feel like. Obviously the whole process isn’t green, it will take time for that. Same goes for the batteries. We have wet batteries now, but they’ll develop better ones.

Synec113 t1_irwa80o wrote on October 11, 2022 at 2:56 PM

The only problem here is scarcity. The selenium required by the battery is much rarer than the lithium that batteries use now. So, unless they can find a replacement for the selenium, it's a no go for mass production.