Acceleration of Solid-State Technology Development and Commercialization
On May 2, the Korean battery manufacturer Samsung SDI announced that it would start its solid-state battery pilot production line near Seoul in 2023. A month ago, Samsung SDI noted that it would launch a solid-state production line in 2027, but it decided to reschedule because of the technical viability of the company.
Nissan also announced that they will start the pilot line of solid-state batteries in 2024. They expect to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries to 75$ per kWh by 2028 to compete with gasoline-fueled cars. Nissan wants to introduce a vehicle powered by solid-state batteries by 2028. Besides Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi are other members of the alliance who can benefit from Nissan's solid-state technology in their products.
ProLogium, a Taiwanese solid-state battery developer, also announced that it might go public this year. The company that Mercedes-Benz invested millions of euros in develops ceramic solid electrolytes.
Solid-state technology solves several issues with lithium-ion batteries. Fast charging is a crucial requirement for electric vehicles. The high current density applied to the battery can result in lithium dendrites on the anode. The dendrites can penetrate the polymeric separator and result in the battery's short circuits and thermal runaway. Solid-state electrolytes with more mechanical strength and no pores in their structure than polymer separators can avoid this drawback. This ability can let us use lithium metal instead of graphite or silicon in the anode, improving energy density and reducing stored energy costs. It helps electricity capture more of the share in the market.
Battscout's solid-state patent landscape from 2011 to 2021 discloses the data and analysis on solid-state electrolyte technology. It determines leading players and pioneer companies categorized by detailed technology parts such as production method, raw materials, chemical structure, and electrochemical properties.
With more than 90 patent families on inorganic solid electrolytes, Samsung is one of the top five companies with a strong patent portfolio on solid electrolytes, competing with Panasonic and Idenitsu Kosan. The company gradually grew its portfolio with the constant registering of patents from 2009. About 60% of the company's active patent families are registered in the U.S. and 23% in Japan, where Toyota Motors, the dominant company in solid-state technology, is present. For more technical detail on Samsung's patent portfolio, please contact us.
