The executive vice president of SAIC, MG's parent company, said the automaker will begin introducing solid-state battery (SSB) technology into its product lineup starting next year.
Speaking at the Chengdu Auto Show last week, Yu Jingmin discussed a new solid-state battery technology that has been developed in-house and is planned to be introduced in numerous future EV models from SAIC’s brands, including the premium IM offering and the more affordable Wuling volume brands in China.
If successful, the introduction of SSBs will occur 12 months ahead of the company's original timelines, putting MG, as well as the other brands mentioned above, well ahead of the competition.
Toyota, for example, has already said it hopes to bring similar technology to market by 2028, while Volkswagen has partnered with US research firm QuantumScape. Both have said they have reached an agreement to industrialise the technology, but have not set specific timelines.
Unfortunately, Yu Jingmin didn't provide any details on the battery specs, but sister company IM Motor has already revealed its new L6 Saloon, which uses an early example of the company's solid-state battery research.
In this case, IM Motors claims its technology has twice the energy density of current lithium iron phosphate batteries, meaning the automaker has been able to cram a 133kWh battery pack into the L6 without compromising interior space or causing the overall curb weight to skyrocket.
The result is a car that can achieve a range of 673 miles on the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC) and can add an astonishing 249 miles of range in just 12 minutes from a high-power fast-charging outlet.
Despite the lack of official details on the chemical composition of MG, it is highly likely that it follows a similar pattern to that used by IM Motor. Introducing the technology across SAIC’s product range means that the company can benefit from economies of scale and help keep the selling price of its surprisingly affordable MG models down.
What is solid-state battery technology?
The current generation of lithium-ion batteries, including those using lithium iron phosphate chemistry, use liquid electrolytes between their electrodes.
Although this technology has become ubiquitous among modern electric vehicles, it has its limitations. Mainly, the energy density is relatively low, the battery packs are heavy, and the liquid electrolyte is relatively volatile and can, in some cases, cause fires and explosions.
A solid-state battery contains a solid lithium metal anode and a solid ceramic electrolyte, so there is no need for a volatile liquid electrolyte. This equates to a battery pack that offers higher energy density, reducing the overall weight of an electric vehicle and resulting in much higher efficiency.
Solid-state batteries are also claimed to be much safer, as they have much greater thermal stability and can tolerate more extreme temperature ranges. This, in turn, allows them to charge at much faster rates, which is a plus for EV owners who are tired of waiting at charging stations.
But it's not all plain sailing. Both researchers and the carmakers funding the project have found that solid-state battery technology is complicated and expensive to produce. Plus, they rely on even more lithium than their LFP counterparts, which isn't good for the planet or a company's bottom line.
Furthermore, many researchers have found that the biggest hurdle is the potential longevity of these new packs. To be very technical, too much rapid charging can lead to a buildup of dendrites on the lithium electrode.
Just like plaque on your teeth, this buildup can eventually short out your system and ultimately destroy your battery.
To make matters worse, there is limited knowledge about how to recycle broadband batteries, meaning a lot of research and funding needs to be invested in this area if we are to avoid a backlog of dead batteries in five to ten years.
