BMW takes on Volkswagens in a race for next-level EV batteries

Ever since the concept of electric vehicles has hit the market, all major players of the automobile industry are quickly switching to the eco-friendly mode of cars. BMW was the latest to join in with an announcement of a prototype of a solid-state battery car before 2025.

With this move, the German automaker has joined the accelerating race for a technology that promises to boost the power and range of electric vehicles. In a recent statement, the automaker said their researchers are working day in day out on solid-state batteries, noting that the cell storage of solid batteries will take the center stage for its next-level electric vehicles.

The latest development means the company will join Volkswagen, Toyota, and other major players in a fight to get the system in vehicles over the coming years.

“By the end of the decade we will have an automotive-grade solid-state battery for use in our car series,” BMW development Chief, Frank Weber, said at an event in Munich.

Currently, most EVs in the market are using lithium-ion batteries which have a liquid electrolyte between the anode and cathode. Solid-state batteries would replace the liquid with a solid, improving performance and safety.

“They can add range, slash charging time and eliminate the fire risk,” said BNEF energy storage analyst Cecilia L'Ecluse in a report published Monday. “That is a very big deal.”

BNEF also predicted that the solid-state battery costs will go down as the EV industry scales up over the next decade.

Earlier in March, Volkswagen had also announced that it is researching solid-state batteries that will be cheaper to assemble and allow for faster charging. Meanwhile, Toyota already aims to test solid-state batteries in its new concept cars.