I don't know if you have noticed:
It seems that in an instant, the performance and intelligence of pure electric vehicles have developed to an end.
Immediately after, solid-state batteries were held to unprecedented commanding heights.
It is believed to be able to completely relieve range anxiety and bring pure electric vehicles to the highest level. There is even a view that once solid-state batteries are scaled up and costed, fuel trucks will be completely swept into the dustbin of history.
However, is this claim an exaggeration? Is solid-state batteries really that good? What is the actual situation?
For this reason, I consulted familiar industry friends, and their words told the truth about solid-state batteries, which may be a little unexpected.
To sort all this out, we must first start with what a solid-state battery is.
What is a solid-state battery?
To put it bluntly, the structure and operation logic of solid-state batteries are no different from those of common ternary lithium and lithium iron batteries. The only difference is that it replaces the liquid electrolyte with a solid electrolyte.
It is easy to understand that, according to the simplest "gas-liquid-solid" three-phase common sense, when a substance becomes a solid, it will have a higher physical density and excellent chemical stability.
In this way, the solid-state battery is like a "compressed biscuit", with a tiny size, giving a huge energy supply.
For example, a solid-state battery like Tailan has an energy density of 720Wh/kg. You must know that at present, ternary lithium batteries are generally only 200Wh/kg, and lithium iron batteries are only 180Wh/kg.
That is, solid-state batteries increase the charge by a factor of 3-4. Some media advertise a range of 1,000 kilometers, which is still quite a conservative statement.
Of course, according to inertial thinking, high energy density also means a higher risk of thermal runaway. As a result, wouldn't the safety of solid-state batteries be at stake?
This understanding is somewhat reasonable.
After all, solid-state batteries are cross-generational masterpieces that defy traditional scientific boundaries.
To put it bluntly, the solid electrolyte is not flammable at all, and it is as stable as Mount Tai in the face of punctures and impacts.
Don't think that's all there is to it, because they are too stable, solid-state batteries also piggyback on another tricky problem.
This situation is not uncommon, especially the low-temperature operation of lithium iron batteries, as soon as the weather is cold, the liquid electrolyte will freeze, and the car will lie directly in the nest.
However, the solid-state battery, it is originally solid-state, what is frozen, it is not afraid of this, and it is still as stable as Mount Tai when it runs at -30 °C.
Because of this, many people are full of expectations for solid-state batteries, which have high battery life, do not catch fire, and can solve the problem of the popularization of electric cars in the north, which is simply wonderful.
But is that really the case?
What is the reality of solid-state batteries?
To put it bluntly, solid-state batteries solve some well-known problems, but in the subsequent use process, unexpected troubles follow.
First of all, charging efficiency
Anyone who has ever driven a tram knows that battery life is not a hard injury, but energy replenishment efficiency is the key.
Don't look at Toyota's boast of its own solid-state battery, it can be fully charged to 80% in 3 minutes, which is as fast as refueling.
You know that this is a laboratory result, and he can control the environment and variables at will to measure the desired results.
However, the reality is difficult because the interfacial resistance of the solid-state electrolyte increases, which greatly reduces the efficiency of electron transport.
For example, in a liquid battery, electrons are like swimming in the ocean, but in a solid-state battery, electrons are like swimming in the sand of the desert. Which charging is more efficient, obvious.
This has actually been proven, such as the Zhiji L6 that uses a semi-solid-state battery, and even uses a 900V high voltage, but the actual charging efficiency is not as fast as the ideal MEGA of a lithium battery.
This is followed by the issue of battery life
Theoretically, solid-state batteries are more electrochemically stable, and of course have a longer calendar life.
Theory is true, but it is only theory. For example, after Su Bingtian ran into 9.79 seconds, he refreshed the upper limit of Asian running theory. But I can't.
The reality is that, subject to technology, the actual cycle life of solid-state batteries is short.
For example, Tailan's energy density of 720Wh/kg solid-state battery did not dare to announce the number of cycles. Toyota's solid-state battery is set to 1,500 cycles and maintains 80% of the charge, which is not at all better than ternary lithium batteries.
What's more, this is still a laboratory result, but what is the reality?
Academician Ouyang Minggao confessed that the 500Wh/kg solid-state battery can only be cycled dozens of times at present.
In other words, solid-state batteries have strong parameters and seem to be beautiful, but in order to break through the technical dilemma and achieve the ideal, a long period must be added.
So, how long is this period?
What are the other pitfalls of solid-state batteries?
After all, graphene batteries like the ones advocated before are still far away. Manufacturers are just speculating on concepts in order to raise stock prices.
In reality, solid-state batteries don't seem to be repeating the mistakes of the past, but there will certainly be a while to wait.
According to the original words of Academician Ouyang Minggao, "if solid-state batteries want to replace 50% of the market share of liquid lithium batteries, it will take at least 20-30 years." ”
What is the concept of "50% market share"? You may wish to refer to the fact that last month, the penetration rate of new energy vehicles just exceeded 50%.
To put it bluntly, there is no particularly "rotten street" feeling.
However, it will take 20 years, when you are on crutches, for solid-state batteries to reach this level of popularity.
Secondly, there is also the price factor to consider.
Even if you think about it with the soles of your feet, it won't be cheap. However, there is also a concept of high, how high can it be?
Even CATL, from the time of mass production, can only achieve 1.6 yuan/mWh within 2 years.
And, note that, it is 2 years after "mass production". To know that the large-scale mass production of solid-state batteries may have to wait 20 years.
It's a long way off! Let's talk about the price of its semi-finished products ——— semi-solid-state batteries at the moment.
According to the data, the cost of NIO's semi-solid-state battery is 1.7-2.2 yuan/Wh, while the current lithium battery is competitive between 0.3 yuan-0.4 yuan/mWh. Just semi-finished products, it is 6-7 times more expensive.
To put it more bluntly, the semi-solid-state battery version of the Zhiji L6 is 100,000 more expensive than the regular version.
Switching to an all-solid-state battery, it goes without saying, don't expect the rest of your life, you can wait until the price of cabbage.
In general, the performance of solid-state batteries is indeed better than that of lithium batteries, and it also solves the problem of low-temperature operation, and can be fully popularized in the northern region.
It can be said that this battery technology will undoubtedly be the future of pure electric vehicle development.
But from a practical point of view, it is not so magical, such as the charging efficiency and cycle life are very bad.
In addition, mass production is far away, and it may be impossible to meet until seventy or eighty.
It is also debatable whether this technology will be a winning point for the next generation of electric cars.
In the final analysis, the second half of the new energy competition is intelligence, not a battery war.
The importance of solid-state batteries can be seen.