Solid Power, a Colorado-based battery start-up backed by BMW and Ford Motor, said it has begun pilot production of an innovative solid-state battery cell that promises to offer electric-vehicle owners more range and shorter charging times.
Solid-state batteries don't have the liquid or gel electrolyte found in current Li-ion batteries. In electric vehicles, they have the potential to offer more range, shorter recharging times and a lower risk of fires, all of which have attracted big investments from manufacturers over the last several years.
Researchers have been trying to come up with a solid-state battery design that can be mass-produced at a reasonable price. Within a couple of years, that will change.
Solid Power is trying to bring solid state battery cells to market for use in electric vehicles. Private efforts funded by giants such as Toyota are among its rivals.
Solid Power said its batteries can be produced using the tooling and processes already in place in current factories.
Solid Power will use a pilot production line to produce batteries in small numbers for internal testing.
The company expects to begin shipping batteries to its automotive partners, BMW and Ford, for testing in prototype vehicles by the end of this year.
Campbell told CNBC that he expects Solid Power's battery design to be approved by the automakers in the first half of 2019.
The first vehicles to use Solid Power's innovative batteries could be available within a few years.
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