More and more people are buying electric cars or considering one as their next purchase, but EVs do have a problem: the battery. The range for most cars isn’t where manufacturers and consumers would want it to be. Also, charging times can differ in speed, which can be a problem depending on what sort of trips you’re taking.
Then there’s the actual battery health to consider, as the battery will degrade in time, requiring an expensive replacement. That’s assuming buyers won’t rather buy a brand-new EV car.
The lifespan of an electric car’s battery also opens up environmental concerns. Ideally, that EV battery would be repurposed or recycled rather than ending up in some landfill.
Several battery makers are trying to fix these problems, with Samsung SDI being one of them. The Samsung subsidiary has developed solid-state battery tech that can increase an EV’s range to 600 miles.
Also interesting are the charging speed claims for other Samsung EV batteries. Samsung wants to make batteries that can be recharged in 9 minutes. As for the battery lifespan, Samsung aims to reach 20 years.
All of these would be significant upgrades for most EV cars. The problem is that some of these advanced EV batteries are more expensive to manufacture. Therefore, it might take years until they’re available in more affordable electric cars.
Per The Elec, Samsung was one of the companies that showed off their EV battery tech at the SNE Battery Day 2024 expo in mid-July.
Samsung said it built a line to mass-produce these new solid-state batteries in 2027. The company provided samples to carmakers and supposedly received positive feedback.
The new batteries can weigh less than current versions and take up less space inside a car. They’re also safer than current EV battery tech. All these extra perks explain why automakers are interested in Samsung’s new battery tech.
However, these batteries will only serve the “Super Premium” segment of the EV market. The report doesn’t mention any specific models, but that category designation implies that Samsung’s new EV battery tech will only be available in the most expensive electric cars in the near future.
Samsung plans to mass-produce all sorts of EV batteries in the coming years. While not all of them might get the same 600-mile range, some will offer 9-minute charging speeds as soon as 2026. According to Samsung’s statements, the company is also targeting entry-level EVs and wants to extend the battery lifespan to 20 years.
The report also mentions LG Ensol as an EV battery manufacturer looking to introduce solid-state batteries before 2030. LG also aims to increase the battery power and lifespan for electric vehicles, but the report doesn’t offer any figures.
As NotebookCheck points out, Korean EV battery vendors might be playing catch-up to their Chinese counterparts. NIO already offers a 150kWh battery pack with a range of 650 miles.
As for charging speeds, some Chinese EVs can support fast charging via 480kW and 600kW stations. The problem is there aren’t enough charging stations to support these charging rates. Even if you own a car that can recharge in less than 10 minutes, you’ll still need access to the proper infrastructure. The report notes that Samsung’s 9-minute claim probably applies to recharging an EV from 10% or 20% to 80%.
Moreover, NIO and CATL are working towards offering consumers 15-year battery warranties. CATL is another battery vendor aiming to provide solid-state solutions to the EV market as soon as 2027.
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