SK Innovation introduces solid electrolyte cells. Everything is serious on the market

SK Innovation has signed a letter of intent with Solid Power, a solid state startup. It won't commercialize the product quickly, but the next car battery supplier is at stake. It's getting serious.

SK Innovation and Solid Power with solid state cells and sulphide electrolyte

The agreement stipulates that both companies will work on solid electrolyte cells developed by Solid Power (source). Sulfides are the most promising solid state technology to date, with relatively few downsides. Their biggest problem is the need to modify existing production lines and the need to heat the elements in order for them to function properly.

The letter of intent suggests that SK Innovation will invest in Solid Power and the startup will use the factories of the South Korean manufacturer. Today Solid Power has contracts with major car manufacturers (BMW Group, Ford), and existing innovation relationships (Volkswagen, Hyundai-Kia) can help popularize the new technology.

Having said this, it is worth making a reservation that at the moment almost all companies in the automotive and battery industry are signaling that commercialization of solid-state cells is unlikely to occur before the middle of the decade.. Prototypes are expected to arrive sooner – BMW wants to show them as early as 2022 – but mass production will be a challenge due to process differences. Toyota is an exception here.

This may interest you: