Even ambitious goals can be ruined by high prices.
You need look no further than solid-state battery science for proof, according to experts at the China University of Science and Technology. They were interviewed by the South China Morning Post about an impressive breakthrough in battery development that doesn’t break the bank.
In fact, the solid-state innovation could bring to market a breakthrough battery that costs less than 10% of standard costs without sacrificing performance, the report says. The goal is to develop a lightweight, safe and more cost-effective energy storage unit for electric vehicles and other applications.
“Although researchers around the world are striving to reduce costs through various methods, long-term research has shown that it is quite difficult to achieve this goal,” university researcher Ma Cheng told the newspaper.
Cheng and his team’s innovation has a simple starting point: some of the very expensive materials need to be removed. The experts focused on sulfide, a commonly used solid electrolyte material with a notoriously high price, and looked for a cheaper way to synthesize it.
When batteries work, ions move between the anode and cathode through a normally liquid substance called electrolyte. Solid versions improve performance and safety, according to the Post.
The team developed a sulfide electrolyte, called LPSO, that does not require lithium sulfide in the recipe, thus reducing costs. It is synthesized from “two inexpensive compounds.” The goal is to bring the electrolyte price down to under $50 per kilogram ($50 per 2.2 pounds). Sulfide versions currently on the market generally cost about $195, according to reporting by the Post.
LPSO is even cheaper than Cheng’s target, at $14.42 per kilogram. What’s more, the lower price allows for an electrolyte that works just as well as other “high-performance” solid-state versions. It also ran for 4,200 hours at room temperature, according to the Post.
It’s part of a broader solid-state battery initiative in China. Earlier this year, the Post reported that the country had formed a government, academia and business consortium to develop the chemistry. Battery giant CATL and electric car maker BYD are involved.
If these efforts result in an ultra-cheap battery, it could expand an already growing market. In the U.S. alone, 1.2 million electric cars were sold last year, a record. A U.S. Department of Energy graphic shows that battery-powered vehicles avoid thousands of pounds of harmful, heat-trapping air pollution each year compared to gas-guzzling cars. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency links exhaust fumes to an increased risk of cancer and heart and lung disease.
Switching to an electric vehicle can also result in significant savings on gas and maintenance costs, and tax credits of up to $7,500 can help make trips even more affordable.
In China, Cheng told the Post that the latest electrolyte is a starting point for further future innovations.
LPSO “is expected to deliver further performance improvements and we are working on them,” the expert told the newspaper.
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