QuantumScape’s solid-state batteries have just demonstrated their remarkable endurance and potential to enable a 500,000 km driving range without loss in a test conducted by Volkswagen Group battery unit PowerCo.
This significant development comes just a year following QuantumScape solid-state battery prototypes’ initial deliveries to its auto partners.
PowerCo verifies QuantumScape solid-state batteries’ 500,000km range
According to Volkswagen Group’s press release, QuantumScape’s solid-state cell successfully passed PowerCo’s first endurance test at its laboratory in Salzgitter, Germany. It put the battery startup’s solid-state cells through more than 1,000 charge cycles for several months.
Impressively, the PowerCo team determined that the ground-breaking solid-state cells could enable 500,000 km for electric vehicles without range loss.
As per the results, the solid-state batteries retained more than 95% of their original capacity. It even indicated that an EV model with a WLTP-rated range of 500-600 km (311-373 mi) using QuantumScape cells can reach about 500,000 km (~311,000 miles) without battery degradation.
The industry standard for solid-state cells in this development phase is currently at 700 charging cycles and a 20% maximum capacity loss. However, PowerCo asserted that QuantumScape’s solid-state cell exceeded that standard. It essentially confirmed QuantumScape’s results, which it indicated in its Q3 shareholder letter.
“These are very encouraging results that impressively underpin the potential of the solid-state cell. The final result of this development could be a battery cell that enables long ranges, can be charged super-quickly and practically does not age. We are convinced of the solid-state cell and are continuing to work at full speed with our partner QuantumScape towards series production.”
PowerCo CEO Frank Blome
In hindsight, QuantumScape officially delivered the first batch of its 24-layer solid-state cells to its auto partners for testing in December 2022. It continued to develop more energy-dense battery cells since then. Impressively, it surpassed performance targets during testing as of October 2023.
What’s next?
PowerCo stated that its unified cell concept design is compatible with QuantumScape’s solid-state cell technology.
Therefore, QuantumScape now aims to refine and upscale the production processes to aid both companies’ plans to ramp up solid-state battery production amid the race to develop the most advanced battery tech.
QuanstumScape must continue to exert more efforts to reach its target of viable and scaled solid-state cell production. Fortunately, VW plans to resume its support for the battery startup’s goals to launch long-range, solid-state EVs in the future.
“These results from the Volkswagen Group’s PowerCo testing make clear that QuantumScape’s anodeless solid-state lithium-metal cells are capable of exceptional performance. While we have more work to do to bring this technology to market, we are not aware of any other automotive-format lithium-metal battery that has shown such high discharge energy retention over a comparable cycle count under similar conditions.
We’re excited to be working closely with the Volkswagen Group and PowerCo to industrialize this technology and bring it to market as quickly as possible.”
QuantumScape founder and CEO Jagdeep Singh
About QuantumScape
QuantumScape is an advanced battery tech developer, as noted by Electrek. It has been exploring the potential development of scalable, energy-dense solid-state battery cells for more than a decade already. It is a crucial part of its efforts to improve EVs‘ safety, charging time, and driving range.
Notably, Volkswagen Group has been QuantumScape’s partner in its push for solid-state battery development since 2012. The German legacy automaker also remains the battery startup’s top major investor.
QuantumScape asserted its continuous collaboration with the Volkswagen Group to develop and launch innovative solid-state batteries as “quickly as possible” under their existing joint venture.
