Volkswagen aims for solid-state EV battery leadership
Volkswagen aims for solid-state EV battery leadership
December 17, 2020
VW hopes to steal EV range, recharge lead with switch to solid-state batteries by 2024
Volkswagen hopes to leap into the lead for electric vehicle range, recharging, weight and safety by introducing the holy grail of electrification – the solid-state battery – as soon as 2024.
Volkswagen’s $US300 million ($A396m) investment in California-based battery start-up QuantumScape is set to pay off enormously, pole-vaulting the group’s premium brands like Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini and Bentley well beyond Tesla’s range claims.
While the Volkswagen Group’s EV assault has begun with lithium-ion battery technology, solid-state batteries could give it up to 50 per cent more energy density, delivering up to 1000km of range, with 80 per cent recharges in just 15 minutes.