Mercedes-Benz is conducting tests on a solid-state battery that promises to deliver a range exceeding 620 miles on a single charge. The first production vehicle equipped with this battery is expected to be available by the end of the decade. The battery pack, developed in collaboration with US-based Factorial Energy, underwent prototype development in the United Kingdom.
Preliminary trials are focused on assessing the battery’s efficiency, durability, and overall performance. The testing is being carried out using a modified EQS saloon, which was first road-tested earlier this month. Modifications to the vehicle primarily involve adjustments to the battery housing to accommodate the new solid-state pack.
The prototype features a floating cell carrier within the battery housing, utilizing pneumatic actuators designed by Mercedes-Benz’s Formula 1 engineers in Brixworth. This system helps manage the expansion and contraction of materials within the battery cells during charging and discharging cycles, enhancing both stability and longevity.
Although Mercedes-Benz has not yet released detailed technical specifications of the prototype solid-state battery, it has indicated that the EQS’s existing 12-module battery compartment allows for various configurations and capacities. The company states that the new energy storage technology provides approximately a 25% increase in range compared to a lithium-ion battery of similar size and weight. For context, the current EQS 450+ saloon, which is equipped with a 118kWh lithium-ion battery, boasts a WLTP-certified range of 511 miles. In contrast, the new solid-state battery is expected to extend the prototype’s range to over 620 miles under real-world driving conditions.
In a June announcement from the previous year, Factorial Energy revealed that it had supplied Mercedes-Benz with battery cells featuring an energy density of up to 391Wh/kg and a charging capacity exceeding 106Ah. The battery pack also incorporates a patented lithium-metal anode and polymer separator.
The technology being tested in the EQS prototype is the preliminary phase of an advanced solid-state battery, internally named Solstice, which Mercedes-Benz and Factorial Energy are jointly developing. The next-generation battery aims to achieve an energy density of 450Wh/kg by replacing the polymer separator with a sulfide-based solid electrolyte, targeting an estimated 80% increase in range over current lithium-ion batteries.
Alongside the new battery technology, Mercedes-Benz is advancing the development of next-generation silicon carbide inverters and power electronics at AMG High Performance Powertrain in Brixworth. These advancements are intended to enhance power efficiency and performance in the company’s future models.
Source: Autocar
