Fast Facts | BMW Solid-State Battery Partnership
⚡ Prototype Testing: BMW has been running a solid-state i7 prototype since May this year
🏭 Partners: BMW works with Solid Power on materials and Samsung SDI on finished cells
🔬 Electrolyte Tech: Solid Power supplies sulfide based solid electrolyte for all solid state batteries
📈 Battery Benefits: Solid state cells promise higher energy density, safer operation and faster charging
🌍 Samsung SDI Scale: SNE Research ranks Samsung SDI eighth globally in EV battery usage this year
🚙 BMW Goal: Partnership aims to bring solid state battery powered BMW electric vehicles to market sooner
BMW Steps Up Its Solid-State Program
We know that a lot of today’s automakers are experimenting with solid state batteries for their all-electric vehicles, but Germany’s BMW is stepping up its plans big time. It has been testing a prototype BMW i7 using Solid Power’s all-solid-state batteries since May of this year.
The carmaker is now producing cells using the Colorado-based start-up which has a long-standing partnership with BMW that has now been expanded by bringing in Korean battery giant Samsung SDI to help build and validate its solid-state cells.
How The BMW–Solid Power–Samsung SDI Partnership Works
Solid Power is supplying the core materials with its sulfide-based solid electrolyte known as all-solid-state-batteries (ASSB) while Samsung SDI plans to add a separator and build the finished battery cells.
“Our solid electrolyte technology is designed for stability and conductivity, and by working closely with global leaders in automotive and battery innovation, we strive to bring ASSB technology closer to widespread adoption,” says President and CEO of Solid Power John Van Scoter.
Get up to speed on how solid-state stacks up by revisiting the core EV battery types in our quick GreenCars 101 guide.
Solid-state EV batteries use a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid electrolyte found in conventional lithium-ion batteries. The solid electrolyte lets lithium ions pass through during charging and discharging but also acts as a separator to make the battery safer and more stable. Plus, solid-state batteries offer higher energy density for longer driving range and quicker recharging time.
Korean market research firm SNE Research tells us that Samsung SDI is one of the top ten battery manufacturers in the world, ranking eighth in global battery usage so far this year. Samsung SDI’s extensive expertise may really help BMW and Solid Power to ramp up its goals of bringing solid-state battery powered BMW electric vehicles to market.
What This Means For BMW’s Next-Gen Electric Cars
Martin Schuster, VP of Battery Cell and Cell Module at BMW says, “With Samsung SDI joining our partnership with Solid Power, we gain significant momentum on our path of advancing the development of new battery cell technologies. This global collaboration is another proof point of our overarching goal; to be always in position to offer our customers state of the art battery technology.”
🔋 Power Up Your EV Knowledge
- BMW Solid-State Batteries Eliminate "Range Anxiety"
Earlier look at BMW’s investment in solid state battery tech to extend range and lower costs for future EVs.
Read More ➜ - BMW’s Solid-State Battery Partner is Based in Colorado
A closer profile of Solid Power and how the Colorado startup fits into BMW’s long term battery strategy.
Read More ➜ - Solid Power's Solid-State Batteries
Deep dive on Solid Power’s sulfide based solid state cells, including potential gains in safety, energy density and cost.
Read More ➜
