U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) currently includes 24M Technologies’ flowable, semi solid electrodes among evolving high-potential, high-impact energy initiatives. However, at least one electric vehicle maker seems to believe they are market-ready. We reveal what we know here about the Volkswagen semi-solid flowable battery today.
The Semi-Solid Flowable Battery at Volkswagen
We need far more advanced electric vehicle batteries, in order to compete with internal combustion engines on a level playing ground. ARPA-E suggests these could be, “twice the energy storage of today’s state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery, at 30% of the cost”.
ARPA-E explains how flowable, semi solid electrodes might depart from traditional battery architecture on these dimensions:
- The system would retain some of the chemistry underpinning lithium-ion batteries.
- But the energy storage material would be in external tanks not limited by battery size.
- Battery capacity would scale up with larger tanks containing more semi-solid paste.
A Volkswagen semi-solid flowable battery following these principles, could improve EV driving range while reducing cost. The technology might spur fresh interest in carbon free transport, and reduce the rate of global warming. This became somewhat more likely after Volkswagen obtained a 25% interest in battery developer 24M Technologies.
Could This Mean a Volkswagen Battery Without Cells?
It certainly could, if we take Nation World News’ word for it. Their website explains 24M Technologies’ current design is as follows:
- A conventional electric car battery comprises a number of individual cells.
- Each cell could function individually, but in practice they combine their energy.
- The 24M Technologies’ battery combines all the cell materials in a single block.
- This optimizes all productive components, while eliminating non-storage elements.
- The ‘24M Unit Cell’ improves lithium battery space efficiency by seventy percent.
Volkswagen has priority access to this technology, thanks to its 25% stock holding in the developer. It will begin its journey with the 24M SemiSolid option, which could be its first step towards solid-state battery technology, Other companies with interests in the 24M Technologies’ venture include Kyocera, Itochu, GPSC and Fujifilm.
More Information
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