Mercedes-Benz and Factorial’s Breakthrough: Solid-State Tech Poised to Surge EV Range by 80%

After multiple years of collaboration, Mercedes-Benz and the battery company Factorial are making headway in creating practical solid-state battery technology for electric vehicles, which could potentially increase their driving range by 80%.

On Tuesday, Factorial revealed that their newly developed Solstice solid-state battery cell, created in partnership with Mercedes, has the potential to enhance the driving range of electric vehicles by as much as 80%. This improvement is due to the cell's higher energy density, which enables more power to be stored in a smaller space. As a result, battery packs can be more compact, which also contributes to lighter vehicles and better fuel economy, as highlighted by Factorial.

Cells with factorial solid-state composition

The increase in range surpasses the initial 50% improvement that was highlighted when test cells started being supplied to car manufacturers in 2022. In the subsequent year, Factorial Energy, located in Massachusetts, launched what was claimed to be the biggest solid-state electric vehicle battery manufacturing site in the United States, situated in a suburb of Boston. At the moment of its inauguration, Factorial Energy announced that the plant, which cost $50 million and is relatively minor in comparison to the massive battery production sites of today, was designed to eventually churn out batteries with a combined capacity of up to 200 megawatt-hours each year on its production line.

Factorial states that the Solstice unit's electrolyte, which is made of sulfide, maintains its stability even when the temperature exceeds 194 degrees Fahrenheit, potentially simplifying the need for elaborate cooling systems. Additionally, similar to other businesses in the solid-state battery industry, Factorial asserts that their technology presents a decreased fire hazard in contrast to batteries that utilize liquid electrolytes.

Energy storage unit by Factorial Energy with a capacity of 40 ampere-hours and a

In 2021, Mercedes teamed up with Factorial for a collaborative effort in battery technology. The following year, they were at the forefront, along with Stellantis, in steering a substantial investment of $200 million into Factorial, a venture in which Hyundai has also contributed financially.

Various car manufacturers are investing in the advancement of solid-state battery technology, opting to either nurture it within their own research divisions or by forming alliances with emerging companies. Volkswagen has consistently supported QuantumScape, and both Nissan and Toyota are working on creating solid-state batteries internally. Toyota announced its intention to start producing these batteries around 2026, aiming to increase its electric vehicle production by a factor of ten.

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