Guangzhou-based Penghui Energy has announced its first solid-state battery. The new development has an energy density of 280 Wh/kg. For comparison, current top-level lithium-ion batteries can reach 250 Wh/kg. But the main feature of this Chinese battery is its relatively low price. It costs only 15% more than a standard battery used in modern electric vehicles.
The company said it has achieved a significant breakthrough in production. Currently, there are three ways to produce a solid-state battery: polymer, sulfur-halide, and oxide. Penghui Energy has chosen the latter and has already eliminated all the obstacles associated with the production of oxide solid-state electrolytes.
Oxide electrolytes require high temperatures for the production process, which makes the ceramic material (also used in batteries) too brittle. So, the manufacturer came up with a wet coating process for the electrolyte. This process not only solved the temperature problems, but also simplified production.
The new process reduces the cost of production to the level of a standard lithium-ion battery. Currently, it is only 15% higher, but Penghui Energy believes it can achieve parity within the next 3-5 years by further optimizing the process and material handling. The optimizations are also expected to increase the energy density from the current 280 Wh/kg to 300 Wh/kg. This is expected to be achieved before mass production begins. The current solid-state battery promises a service life of 600 recharge cycles and an operating temperature ranging from -20°C to about 85°C.
Penghui Energy plans to start a small pilot research program and small-scale production next year, with full-scale production starting in 2026.
Source: arenaev
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