Mercedes trial solid state EV batteries

[Stinsy]

My bold: That's an interesting, tough, but I suspect, fair target going forward.

For comparison, the base Tesla 3 is very efficient, with a WLTP range of 318 miles. The EV-database real range est is 260 miles, and the cold highway range suggestion is 185 miles. 'Cold' is actually a tough (for the UK) -10C, so that's probably about 200 miles as per your suggestion. That's from a 57.5kWh useable battery.

So .... thinking out loud ..... that car is very aerodynamic*, but not small, so a smaller vehicle, that's not too lumpy, at 50kWh and crucially a lower weight, might do it. Fingers crossed.

*Did search for a more efficient vehicle, but couldn't find/think of one. The tiny Dacia Spring is 25kWh, and 100 mile range, but ~65miles for cold highway.

I don’t see “winter” as being -10℃ for the sake of my requirements. Maybe 0℃?

And I’m happy for 60mpg to be the motorway speed, but 70mph would be better.

I think the Ioniq 24 is the efficiency benchmark.

However, the point isn’t my arbitrary numbers. The point is that bigger batteries and faster charging shouldn’t be where this battle is fought. It should be efficiency.

Yep, our 2018 28kWh IONIQ had a lifetime average 4.7m/kWh. [Gave it to my sister in December.] the most impressive part, IMO, is that it's based on an ICE platform with HEV, PHEV or BEV versions. The BEV was 50kg lighter than the HEV, the PHEV 50kg heavier than the HEV.

If you nursed it, in good weather, it could manage ~150 miles, 130 pretty reliable. I think the 38kWh model had a 'reliable' good weather 185 miles. But of course YMMV.

It really is amazing that the "pinnacle" is a 1st gen BEV built on an ICEV platform!

Imagine if they took the original Ioniq concept with modern efficient motors and a ground-up BEV platform. Lightweight, free-rolling, super-low aero resistance. However we've "progressed" into ever heavier SUV platforms, where they fit a bigger-capacity battery to get more range but that requires a bigger car and more energy is consumed hauling around the bigger car and bigger battery. A cycle of doom!

Maybe the government could relent a little on the VED and make it £0 for BEVs with a battery less than 50kWh (usable)? Then maybe manufacturers would compete on efficiency to see who could do the most with the allowed capacity?

[Oliver90owner]

Imagine if they took the original Ioniq concept with modern efficient motors and a ground-up BEV platform. Lightweight, free-rolling, super-low aero resistance


Looks like they maybe have - with the EV4 saloon version?

[TonyH]

According to an article in an engineering magazine, these batteries use solid lithium metal. What could possibly go wrong ?

[Sunrisemike]

_Progress??

Solid-state battery road tests begin.

https://archive.is/0YhfU

[Gareth J]

Weight isn't really as large an issue as you might imagine, for range. When you really need longer range, you're probably sitting on the motorway. At which point, wind resistance is the dominating factor. Add in regen braking on shorter trips and a heavier car doesn't have as big a penalty as imagined.

However, heavier cars are generally physically bigger. Pushing a bigger car through the air does sap fuel.

The issue coming from ICE to EV isn't so much range, (though was often close to 800mi range in my last diesel) but longevity. A £50,000 car, in year 2000, would probably do 10,000 miles a year for two or more decades if well maintained. Which means lots of second hand, ten year old vehicles at affordable prices with nigh on the same performance as brand new and then years of motoring ahead of you.

I suspect the competition is being fixed not by increasing battery reliability but buy reducing reliability of ICE cars to somewhere parallel.