Battery supplier SK On recently gave an update on its research into solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, claiming “breakthroughs” that could bring these batteries closer to production-readiness.
In a press release, SK On said it’s developing two types of solid-state batteries: one with a sulfide-based electrolyte, and one with an oxide-based electrolyte, with “commercial prototypes” expected by 2027 and 2029, respectively. The company aims to complete a solid-state battery pilot plant at its research center in Daejeon, South Korea, later this year.
This timeline will be made possible in part by the aforementioned breakthroughs, which SK On claims will allow a longer life cycle for solid-state batteries in the near future. They come from separate studies into methods for improving the robustness of both solid-state chemistries it plans to commercialize.
BlueOvalSK Battery Park – rendering, September 2021
In one study, SK On claims to have gotten encouraging results from photonic sintering of oxide-based electrolyte materials, a process the company says could address the brittleness of material produced using current methods, while potentially reducing costs. Testing was done with a hybrid solid-state battery cell that used a gel electrolyte, but SK On appears to believe that the results extend to all-solid-state batteries as well.
Researchers also tested lithium- and manganese-rich layered oxide (LMRO) cathodes for sulfide-based solid-state batteries. With a special coating applied to prevent oxidization of the sulfide electrolyte, SK On claims to have reached a satisfactory life cycle for these cells.
BlueOvalSK Battery Park – rendering, September 2021
It’s not unusual for startups to hype their achievements in the name of survival, but SK On is a large, established battery manufacturer that’s generally more conservative. So a declaration of breakthroughs from this company—which has automotive customers like Ford, Ferrari, and Hyundai—is a big deal.
The race to develop commercially-viable solid-state batteries has attracted a field of competitors ranging from startups and established firms like SK On to automakers themselves. Both Honda and Toyota are planning to produce solid-state batteries in-house, albeit likely on a small scale, by the end of the decade. Other automakers, such as Stellantis and Volkswagen, are allying with startups for access to the tech.