Efficient electric vehicle (EV) batteries that charge fast and deliver an increasingly greater driving range are on drawing tables globally. However, these batteries tend to be short on energy density, thermal stability, and consumer safety. This article examines the progress made towards battery solutions across top approaches in 2024.
Solid-State Batteries
Solid-state batteries replace liquid electrolytes with a solid material for higher energy density, better thermal stability, and a lower fire risk. They charge fast and are less expensive to produce than their electrolyte-based cousins. During 2024, headlines involving solid-state advances and approaches include:
Toyota will likely be first to introduce a passenger vehicle with solid-state batteries. On the way to solid-state solutions Toyota will likely launch a hybrid initially. The company has more than one rabbit up its proverbial sleeve and is working on several possibilities. Its lithium-ion battery, for example, expects a range of up to 497 miles on a full charge, costs 20% less than current battery technologies, and is slated for availability in 2026. Another version will blend bipolar NiMh technology with cost-effective lithium iron phosphate. An early high-performance version combines a bipolar structure with lithium-ion chemistry and a high nickel cathode for a 621+ mile range and is scheduled for 2027-28 as a potential release date.
Honda announced a production line for all-solid-state batteries under development and a plan to begin battery production on the line in January 2025. Its production process adopts a roll-pressing technique to increase the density of solid electrolyte layers. The roll-pressing technique increases the degree of interfacial contact between the electrolyte and the electrodes and increases overall productivity. The company also plans to significantly reduce the production time per cell and indirect costs of battery production. Honda aims to reduce battery costs further by taking advantage of economies of scale.
Imec just announced a major breakthrough in battery technology. With European partners, the company has developed a lithium-metal solid-state battery with an energy density of 1070 watt-hours per liter. The new battery uses a cost-effective manufacturing process that is compatible with existing lithium-ion production. The solution features a “liquid-to-solid” electrolyte that solidifies at room temperature. The battery also uses a thin lithium metal anode and a 50-μm solid electrolyte separator for a compact and efficient cell structure and cobalt-lean NMC cathodes to lower the environmental impact of production while maintaining high capacity.
Silicon Batteries
It takes one silicon atom to store four lithium ions so that silicon is 24x more efficient than the graphite anode of a lithium-ion battery. However, the big drawback to silicon is that when it reacts with lithium ions, the silicon anode balloons up and breaks the battery.
Amprius and OneD are growing nanowires to mitigate the problem so that there are pathways for lithium ions. Nanotech accounts for Sila’s micrometer-size particles of nanostructured silicon and other materials protected by a porous scaffold, creating the same type of pathways and preventing silicon from swelling too much. Making nanotech at scale is another problem, yet commercialization is close. Amprius has a product and has also qualified for its SiMaxx mass production tool. Amprius claims it will increase production to 2 MWh of silicon batteries in 2025, 10x more than produced in 2024.
Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Lithium-sulfur batteries feature a sulfur cathode rather than cobalt, lowering battery production costs. To date, the technology has suffered from rapid degradation. However, one solution withstands over 1,000 charging cycles and plans to commercialize the battery soon. Lyten started shipping lithium-sulfur batteries to major automakers, including Stellantis, and the U.S. military is experimenting with lithium-sulfur batteries, which could accelerate their use.
The University of Texas is working on a lithium-ion battery that doesn’t use cobalt as a cathode, using up to 89 percent nickel as well as aluminum and manganese, and a Chinese company, SVOLT, is manufacturing cobalt-free batteries for the EV market, claiming a higher energy density and a vehicle range of up to approximately 500 miles on a single charge.
Sodium-Ion Batteries
Sodium-ion batteries use a sodium anode that could lower EV costs. Natron Energy is mass-producing sodium-ion batteries beginning in Q2, 2024, and represents the first commercial-scale sodium-ion production project in the U.S. Natron claims sodium-ion batteries recharge 10x faster than conventional alternatives and last 50,000 cycles.
China’s leading battery manufacturer claims it “developed a basic industry chain for sodium ion batteries and established mass production.” European battery maker Northvolt unveiled a sodium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery in 2024 and touted it as the company’s next-gen energy storage device.
Other Important Advances
There are several advances in battery and ancillary technologies. For example:
- Modularity made strides in 2024, too. The ability to swap batteries reduces maintenance expenses and answers slow charging times, whereby drivers can swap a battery for a fully charged replacement.
- Carbon nanotubes are also a promising technology. Building electrodes from nanostructures can enable charging to 80% within five minutes and offer three times the energy storage capacity.
- IBM Research is developing new battery chemistry extracted from seawater that can outperform lithium-ion. They estimate they will be cost-effective, charge fast, and provide higher energy density and power.
- University of California Riverside researchers are using sand to create pure silicon to achieve three times the performance of current graphite-based lithium-ion batteries, as well as expand battery lifespan. Startup Silnano is bringing this technology to the market, promising a 40 percent increase in battery performance.
Given the importance of battery technology to EV success, there will continue to be investment, R&D, and success in the near term. The efforts are global. 2024 seems to have been a turning point in technology, and it will be interesting to see what comes to fruition in 2025.
