Mercedes Is Testing This Firm's Solid-State Cells

Yahoo

27-02-2025

Mercedes-Benz starts road tests of solid-state battery design by US-based developer Factorial Energy.
The solid-state cells promise greater range, thermal safety, and decreased weight compared to traditional lithium-ion cells.
The FEST (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) cells use a floating cell carrier as the materials expand when the battery charges and contract when it discharges.
Mercedes-Benz has been one of several automakers backing Boston-based solid-state battery tech startup Factorial, even as mass production of these batteries has perpetually been just over the horizon.
And now this effort appears closer to bearing fruit, as the automaker begins tests of a new lithium-metal solid-state battery composition in an actual electric vehicle.
With some modifications, the solid-state prototype battery pack was installed in a Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan late last year, but the actual road test began this month.
The automaker worked with Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in the UK—its subsidiary specializing in F1 technologies—on integrating the battery researcher's FEST (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) cells into a prototype battery pack.
The new battery pack design uses a floating cell carrier as the cell materials expand when the battery charges, and contract when it discharges. Mercedes has already obtained a patent for this carrier.
Among other things, solid-state designs promise a reduced battery weight, higher thermal safety, greater energy density per unit mass, and up to 25% more range when compared to a lithium-ion battery pack of the same weight and size.
"This breakthrough demonstrates that solid-state battery technology has moved beyond the laboratory and into real-world application, setting a new benchmark for the entire automotive industry," said Siyu Huang, CEO and co-founder of Factorial Energy.
Just how much range could this EQS prototype offer?
Over 621 miles or 1,000 kilometers, Mercedes-Benz says. Of course, this is the automaker's internal estimate for now and not one based on the WLTP or EPA testing.
But if this design can be mass produced with the resulting EVs offering a range of over 600 miles without a significant hike in price, this would certainly be a game-changer in the EV world.
"Developing an automotive-scale solid-state battery underlines our commitment to innovation and sustainability," said Markus Schäfer, member of the Board of Management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG and chief technology officer of development and procurement.
"We will gain crucial insights into possible series integration of this cutting-edge battery technology."
It remains to be seen whether Factorial's solid-state battery tech, once it enters production, will be able to revitalize the automaker's EV sales in the second half of the decade, which have taken a significant hit in 2024. For now, months of road tests are still ahead before any decisions are made regarding mass production.
Greater range is always useful, but there are other issues keeping EV sales where they are, and this includes the current charging infrastructure, vehicle prices, software, and other issues. Ultimately, solid-state designs will have to achieve some level of cost parity with lithium-ion compositions very quickly before their other advantages can be felt by consumers.
Mercedes did not offer a timeline for possible mass production of Factorial's cells—such a step is expected to be some time away—as other automakers scramble to scale up their own solid-state designs.
Will solid-state designs revitalize EV sales once several new compositions with greater ranges arrive on sale, or are EVs facing a variety of other important barriers? Let us know what you think in the comments below.