The dawn of the energy revolution is here
In this era of rapid change, human society is ushering in an unprecedented energy revolution. As the core support of the future energy system, the rapid development of battery technology is leading the entire energy industry into a new era. Among them, solid-state batteries are undoubtedly the "stars" of today's battery technology development.
In recent years, global battery giants have accelerated the research and development and application of solid-state batteries. From Chinese car companies such as NIO and Zhiji, to Japanese car companies such as Toyota and Nissan, to Korean battery leaders such as Samsung SDI and LG, various "warriors" are competing fiercely to dominate the era of solid-state batteries. This "battery war" filled with gunpowder will not only reshape the future new energy pattern, but also trigger a broader energy revolution.
What is the charm of solid-state batteries that can cause such a sensation? Will it really be able to replace traditional lithium-ion batteries in the short term and usher in a new era of energy? In this "battle between the two tigers", who will have the last laugh in the end? Let's explore this high-profile topic.
The rise of solid-state batteries
Solid-state batteries are attracting attention mainly because of their advantages in many aspects. First, solid-state batteries have higher energy density and safety than traditional liquid lithium-ion batteries. The electrolyte of traditional lithium-ion batteries is a flammable and explosive organic solvent, which can cause serious safety hazards in the event of an accident. Solid-state batteries, on the other hand, completely abandon this flammable electrolyte and use a solid-state separator and electrolyte, which greatly reduces safety risks. In addition, the energy density of solid-state batteries is also significantly better than that of ordinary lithium batteries, and the energy density of some models can even reach twice that of traditional lithium batteries. This means that solid-state batteries can provide a longer range at the same size and weight.
Secondly, solid-state batteries also have better charging performance. Normally, liquid lithium batteries need to go through tens of minutes or even hours of charging time, which largely limits their application in fields such as electric vehicles. Solid-state batteries, with their excellent ion conductivity, can achieve faster charging, and some models can even be fully charged in as little as 10 minutes, which largely solves the pain point of "slow charging" of electric vehicles.
In addition, solid-state batteries also have unique advantages in terms of cycle life and temperature range. Compared to liquid lithium batteries, which are prone to aging, solid-state batteries have better cycling performance, and can withstand thousands of charge-discharge cycles without significant performance degradation. At the same time, solid-state batteries have a wider operating temperature range, allowing them to maintain good performance even in extremely cold or hot environments. This makes solid-state batteries have broad application prospects in electric vehicles, aerospace and other fields.
It is because of these outstanding performance advantages that solid-state batteries have become one of the most talked-about battery technologies today. At the same time, an unprecedented "solid-state battery war" has begun to be set off in the industry.
The rush of Chinese manufacturers
In this "100-year war" of solid-state batteries, Chinese manufacturers took the lead in attacking.
In the second half of 2022, domestic car companies NIO and Zhiji successively announced the launch of new models based on solid-state batteries, which aroused strong attention in the industry. NIO's "semi-solid-state battery" solution uses an oxide solid-state separator and a 10% soaking solution to achieve a "compromise" solution that combines solid-state advantages while retaining some of the liquid properties. Zhiji directly claimed that its "solid-state battery" model has been mass-produced, and the charging time is only 10 minutes to travel 400 kilometers, which is even more eye-catching.
This move to preemptively lay out solid-state batteries has undoubtedly caused a shock in the industry. It not only aroused doubts from the outside world, but also triggered strong reactions from international giants.
Nissan, Samsung SDI and other companies have said that they are also vigorously promoting the research and development of solid-state batteries, and plan to achieve mass production in the next 5-7 years. Toyota is more cautious, although it has already started the development of solid-state batteries, but has been delaying the mass production time. The unusually "accelerating" actions of these international giants is undoubtedly a strong response to the "rush" of Chinese manufacturers.
This "two-tiger competition" in the field of solid-state batteries will undoubtedly affect the future pattern of the entire new energy vehicle and power energy storage field. Who will end up having the last laugh? This issue has also become the hottest topic at present.
The technical bottleneck needs to be broken urgently
The reason why solid-state batteries are so popular is due to their excellent performance. High energy density, fast charging speed, and strong safety are all performance advantages that liquid lithium batteries cannot achieve.
However, from the laboratory to commercial mass production, solid-state batteries still face many major technical hurdles to be overcome.
The first is in terms of the internal structure and manufacturing process of the battery. Compared to liquid lithium batteries, solid-state batteries have a more complex internal structure. In addition to the cathode and anode materials, it is also necessary to introduce solid electrolytes and separators, and the interface bonding between these materials has always been a technical difficulty in the industry. In addition, the manufacturing process of solid-state batteries is more complex than that of liquid lithium batteries, requiring more sophisticated equipment and harsh process conditions, which is undoubtedly a major challenge for manufacturers.
The second is in terms of cost control. Compared with liquid lithium batteries, solid-state batteries need to use some scarce and expensive materials, such as sulfides, oxides and other special separator materials. This not only increases the cost of material procurement, but also brings higher investment in the manufacturing process. In order to maintain the cost advantage, the key lies in the continuous innovation and optimization of materials and processes.
Even so, solid-state batteries are still expected to be high. That's because, even in the face of many technical challenges, it still has revolutionary performance advantages. For electric vehicles and other fields, the high energy density, fast charging performance and excellent safety of solid-state batteries are undoubtedly the key to solving the current industry pain points. What's more, the application prospects of solid-state batteries are far from limited to electric vehicles, and it also has a broad application in the fields of power energy storage, aerospace and even consumer electronics.
It is based on these huge application prospects that global battery giants have accelerated the layout of solid-state batteries. From China's NIO and Zhiji, to Japan's Toyota and Panasonic, to South Korea's Samsung SDI and LG, etc., without exception, the research and development of solid-state batteries is a top priority. This "solid-state battery war" is on the verge of breaking out.
The two tigers compete for each other, who is the master of ups and downs?
In this "100-year war" of solid-state battery technology, Chinese manufacturers clearly want to replicate their success in the field of lithium-ion batteries. With the advantages of the strong industrial chain, rich market resources and strong support from the government, they are making every effort to sprint for the first-mover advantage of solid-state battery technology.
At the same time, Japanese and South Korean companies are not willing to be "stolen the limelight" by Chinese manufacturers. Despite currently lagging slightly behind in solid-state battery technology, these industry giants clearly don't intend to give in. They have accelerated the pace of research and development, and launched a fierce "catch-up" with Chinese companies.
Toyota can be said to be the most representative "old battery powerhouse". Although they once lost the opportunity under the strong offensive of Chinese car companies such as NIO and Zhiji, they still adhered to their "steady and steady" route and focused on the research and development of more advanced all-solid-state battery technology.
South Korean and Japanese battery giants such as Samsung SDI and Panasonic have adopted a strategy of "corner overtaking". Although they are temporarily lagging behind in solid-state battery technology, they are trying to catch up in the next 5-7 years by rapidly increasing R&D investment.
In such a competitive landscape of "you chase me", who will have the last laugh in the end? This is still an open question.
However, judging from the current situation, it is clear that Chinese companies have a certain first-mover advantage. In addition to having a strong foundation in the industrial chain and market resources, they have also been ahead of their international counterparts in patent application and technological innovation. According to relevant data, as of May 2023, Chinese companies have accounted for 36.7% of the world's patent applications for key technologies for solid-state batteries, and the average annual growth rate also ranks first in the world. These figures undoubtedly reflect the great ambition and determination of Chinese companies in the field of solid-state batteries.
However, we should not underestimate the strength of international giants. Japanese and South Korean companies have accumulated rich experience in battery technology research and development, especially in some core key technologies, and still maintain a certain leading edge. Once they can achieve breakthroughs in material innovation, manufacturing processes, etc., it is also possible to have an advantage in the future competition.
In general, this "two tigers" in the field of solid-state batteries will undoubtedly be a protracted "marathon". It is not only related to the trend of the new energy industry pattern in the future, but also affects the deep transformation of the energy structure of human society. It remains to be seen who will emerge from the crowd and become the new industry hegemon. But what is certain is that this fierce technology game has begun, and the reshaping of the new order of the industry in the future is accelerating.
Human society is facing the grand proposition of energy transition. The rise of solid-state batteries has undoubtedly injected new momentum into this transformation. It will not only reshape the new energy landscape of the future, but also trigger a broader energy revolution. At present, various "warriors" are competing like never before to dominate the solid-state battery era. This "battery war" filled with gunpowder will surely become an important microcosm of this energy revolution.
Looking to the future, solid-state batteries will surely become the key fulcrum to support the energy transition of human society. Whether it is electric vehicles, electric energy storage, or aerospace, it will play a vital role. In this fierce game of "two tigers competing for each other" from all walks of life, who will finally have the last laugh is still an unresolved question. But what is certain is that no matter what the outcome, this "revolution" in the era of solid-state batteries will surely become another important milestone in the history of human civilization.