Fisker files solid-state battery patent

CALIFORNIAN electric car-maker Fisker Inc. has filed a patent for new solid-state battery technology that it says can produce up to 500 miles (805km) of driving range, and can be recharged in just one minute.

According to the electric vehicle-maker, the new technology will offer 2.5 times the density of lithium-ion batteries and it hopes the new batteries will arrive on the market by 2023.

The three-dimensional construction of the batteries means that its electrodes have 25 times more surface area than flat solid-state electrodes, which leads to higher conductivity, meaning faster charging times and better operation in cold weather.

Due to advances in materials and manufacturing, there is the potential for the solid-state batteries to cost one third of the projected price by 2020.

The batteries are set to be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, alongside the eMotion, Fisker’s all-electric sedan that has Tesla’s Model S squarely in its sights.

Among Fisker’s battery development team is the co-founder of Sakti3, a company that pioneered solid-state battery technology in 2011 before being bought out by vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson, which also plans to join the EV market in the future.

Speaking to American publication Autoconnectedcar.com, Fisker Automotive chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said the new technology represented a significant breakthrough for the EV market.

“Our aggressive vision for the entire EV and automotive industry, not just for Fisker Inc., revolves around making the impossible, possible – and this global solid-state battery breakthrough is reflective of our utmost seriousness in making that vision a reality,” he said.

“It used to be about the efficiency of the gasoline engine. Now, it’s all about who breaks the code and smashes the barriers to future battery technologies that will enable mass market electrification.

“Our scientists have been working tirelessly to deliver. We’ve done it, and this is just the beginning.”

Traditionally, solid-state batteries have encountered problems relating to low power and rate capacity, but Fisker believes the three-dimensional nature of its batteries will alleviate these issues.

As is the case with many developmental technologies, the Fisker battery technology remains a fanciful proposition until the point where it can be displayed in real-world applications, but if the production version of the 3D solid-state battery can live up to Fisker’s expectations, it could be a significant breakthrough for the EV industry.

Currently, Tesla’s Model S P100D has an estimated driving range of between 572km at an average speed of 100km/h to 819km at 70km/h, and when connected to one of its 120kW Supercharger ports can recharge around 80 per cent of its battery in 30 minutes. A full charge takes around an hour and 20 minutes.

Not only would the Fisker technology challenge Tesla, it would also bring into question the practicality of internal combustion engines, with excessive charging times one of the biggest turn-offs for potential EV buyers.

Mr Fisker explained to Autoconnectedcar.com that the major bottleneck in fast charging lies in battery technology, and with more powerful DC charging stations the fast-charging power delivery should be possible.

Fisker Automotive was resurrected in November last year, following bankruptcy and a takeover in 2014 by Chinese company the Wanxiang Group.

It launched the Karma electric sedan in 2011 but a number of problems with the vehicle lead to financial instability and the Chinese takeover.