Excerpt from thedriven.io
In what could be described as something of a ground-breaking moment, Dongfeng Motor has delivered 50 electric cars with solid-state batteries for demonstration in China.
The difference between a traditional battery and a solid-state battery is in its electrolyte: by using a solid material for the electrolyte between the anode and the cathode, battery makers can increase energy density (and therefore driving range), or reduce battery weight.
They are considered something of a holy grail for the EV industry, and solid-state batteries also have fewer production processes, can charge more quickly and have a longer life than batteries with liquid electrolytes.
However, despite years of research, there have been no EVs with solid-state batteries released to the market to date. While Nio announced in early January 2021 it would start making EVs with 150kWh solid-state batteries, it does not plan to bring these to market until the fourth quarter of this year.