Mercedes, Stellantis and Hyundai-Kia team up for the battery of the future

The three companies will invest in Factorial Energy, a battery manufacturing company, which is mainly partnering with LG Chem.

Who will be the leader in next generation batteries? The answer is not easy because the competition already promises to be tough. THE solid battery (or also called semiconductors) are the focus of many electric car players, and this is why alliances are increasing.

Factorial Energy, the American battery cell manufacturer backed by Mercedes, Stellantis and Hyundai-Kia, has signed an agreement with LG Chem, one of South Korea’s largest chemical groups and the parent company of battery specialist LG Batteries Energy Solution. , with the goal of accelerating development around solid-state battery devices.

Approval still to be negotiated

The technology that Factorial works on is called “FEST” (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) and is described as “revolutionary” car “It has the potential to significantly reduce the weight of electric vehicles, increase range, shorten charging times and improve safety”. The companies will join forces and, once the project is complete, will negotiate technology licensing and equipment distribution.
“We are excited to begin this partnership with LG Chem, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of battery materials.”said Siyu Huang, CEO of the Factory. “The electric vehicle industry is on the cusp of a much-needed breakthrough in battery technology, and we believe that close collaboration in the supply chain will help accelerate this transformation. Together with LG Chem, we are advancing the development of solid-state battery-based technology that will unlock the future of electric vehicles »

Things are racing for the battery of the future

As you may know, the first electric car with solid state batteries is already on the market, with this highly coveted technology. it should lower the price of electric cars and make them more affordable.
Volkswagen, a partner of QuantumScape, is looking to accelerate research through new partners, and Nissan has announced its intention to produce solid-state batteries from 2025. In turn, the Chinese manufacturer Hyper by GAC Aion recently announced that it has completed its research. and development activities around solid accumulators and that it will use them from 2026, the same year when Samsung will launch its new battery.

What are solid state batteries?

The advantages of solid-state batteries are many: they provide more freedom, and their life can exceed 15 years, which will allow the electric car to be used much longer than today.
The recharge time has also been greatly improved: some solid batteries can be charged up to 80% in just a few minutes, which significantly reduces the time spent stopping at a charging station during long journeys. Solid state batteries also have environmental benefits, as they contain few heavy metals, and reduce the risk of fire.

Solid-state batteries are cheaper to produce than traditional lithium-ion batteries, and allow more energy to be stored in the same space: thus, they allow manufacturers to provide better autonomy for their electric vehicles, without consequences for the total weight of the vehicle.