Battery supplier SK On recently gave an update on its research into electric vehicle batteries, saying a “breakthrough” could bring these batteries closer to being ready for production.
In a press release, SK On said it is developing two types of solid-state batteries: one with Sulfide-based electrolyteand one with an oxide-based electrolytewith “commercial prototypes” expected in 2027 and 2029, respectively. The company aims to complete a solid-state battery drive plant at its research center in Daejeon, South Korea, later this year.
This timeline will be made possible in part by the aforementioned developments, which SK On claims will allow long life cycle of solid state batteries in the near future. They have evolved from different studies into methods to improve the stability of both solid-state chemists who plan to commercialize them.
BlueOvalSK Battery Park – handover, September 2021
In another study, SK On says it has found encouraging results from photonic sintering of oxide-based electrolyte materials, a process the company says can address the shrinkage of materials produced using current methods, while reducing costs. Testing was done with a hybrid solid-state battery cell that uses a gel electrolyte, but SK On seems to believe the results extend to solid-state batteries.
The researchers also tested lithium- and manganese-rich layered oxide (LMRO) cathodes for sulfide-based solid state batteries. With a special coating used to prevent the oxidation of the sulfide electrolyte, SK On claims to have achieved a satisfactory life cycle for these cells.
BlueOvalSK Battery Park – handover, September 2021
It's not unusual for startups to talk about their achievements in the name of survival, but SK On is an organization a large, established battery manufacturer that is usually careful. So an announcement of success from this company—which has automotive customers like Ford, Ferrari, and Hyundai—is a big deal.
The race to develop commercially viable solid state batteries has attracted a field of competitors from startups and established firms like SK On to the automakers themselves. Both Honda and Toyota plan to produce solid-state batteries in-house, albeit on a small scale, by the end of the decade. Some car manufacturers, such as Stellantis and Volkswagen, are working with startups to access the technology.