Partnered with Factorial, Mercedes is making progress on its solid-state battery technology. The tests are leaving the labs and hitting the road with a Mercedes EQS prototype claiming 1,000 km of autonomy.
A true Holy Grail of the electric car industry, solid-state batteries are supposed to be the answer to many problems. With their solid electrolyte, and no longer liquid as on current lithium-ions, they should improve energy density, durability and safety.
At Mercedes, we have chosen to partner with Factorial. A financial and technical partnership that is entering a new stage. After laboratory tests, the engineers adapted the technology to an EQS.
The integration includes in particular a patented floating cell support. It is based on pneumatic actuators that allow interaction with the cells. One of the characteristics of solid-state battery cells is in fact… to change volume between their states of charge. This control is crucial for the durability of the battery.
Autonomy or efficiency?
The installed battery has the same size, and roughly the same mass, as the original 118 kWh battery of this EQS450+. But with a density that reaches 450 Wh/kg, the capacity of this test battery can be estimated at 150 kWh. Thus equipped, the large sedan claims more than 1000 km of autonomy.
This announcement is mainly made to impress. Thanks to their higher density, these new batteries should above all allow for a reduction in size and mass. The gain in size will benefit the occupants. The gain in mass will allow for a reduction in consumption.