The executive vice president of SAIC, MG’s parent company, said the carmaker will adopt solid state battery (SSB) technology in its line-up from next year.
Speaking at the Chengdu Auto Show last week, Yu Jingmin discussed a new solid-state battery technology developed in-house that is expected to be introduced in several future electric vehicle models from SAIC brands, including the premium IM offering and the more affordable Wuling volume brands in China.
If the introduction of SSBs is successful, it will be a full 12 months ahead of the company’s original schedule, giving MG, like the other brands mentioned above, a significant head start on the competition.
Toyota, for example, has previously said it hopes to bring similar technology to market by 2028, while Volkswagen has partnered with U.S. research firm QuantumScape. The pair have said they have reached an agreement to industrialize the technology, but no actual timelines have been set.
Unfortunately, Yu Jingmin didn’t provide any details on the specifics of the battery, but sister company IM Motor has already unveiled its new L6 Saloon, which uses an early example of the company’s solid-state battery research.
In this case, IM Motors claims its technology has twice the energy density of current lithium iron phosphate batteries. That means the company has been able to pack a 133 kWh battery pack into the L6 without sacrificing interior space or adding to the overall weight.
The result is a car that can achieve a range of 1,088 kilometers under the China Light Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) and can add an astonishing 400 kilometers of range to the car in just 12 minutes using a high-power fast charger.
Despite the lack of official details on MG’s chemical makeup, it’s highly likely that it will follow a similar pattern to that of IM Motor. Introducing the technology into SAIC’s wider portfolio means the company can take advantage of economies of scale and keep the sticker price of its surprisingly affordable MG models low.
What is solid state battery technology?
Current generation lithium-ion batteries, including those using lithium iron phosphate chemistry, use liquid electrolytes between their electrodes.
While the technology has become ubiquitous among modern EVs, it does have its limitations. Most notably, its energy density is relatively low, its battery packs are heavy, and that liquid electrolyte is relatively volatile, potentially leading to fires and explosions.
A solid-state battery contains a solid lithium metal anode and a solid ceramic electrolyte, so there is no need for a volatile liquid electrolyte. This results in a battery pack that offers a higher energy density, which reduces the overall weight of an electric vehicle and provides much greater efficiency.
Solid state batteries are also said to be much safer, as they have much higher thermal stability and can tolerate more extreme temperature ranges. This in turn allows them to charge much faster, which is a bonus for EV owners tired of hanging around charging stations.
But it’s not all plain sailing. Both researchers and the automakers that fund the stuff have discovered that solid-state battery technology is complicated and expensive to produce. They also rely on more lithium than their LFP counterparts, which isn’t good for the planet or a company’s bottom line.
Furthermore, many researchers have found that the biggest obstacle is the potential lifespan of these new packs. To get very technical, frequent fast charging can lead to a buildup of dendrites on the lithium electrode.
Like plaque, this buildup can eventually short circuit the system and drain the battery.
To make matters worse, there is little knowledge about recycling SSBs. This means that a lot of research and money needs to be put into this area if we want to avoid a pile of empty batteries in five to ten years.