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Tech company makes game-changing breakthrough that could transform electric vehicles: 'A novel approach'

Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Nissan, BYD, and many other automakers have begun to embrace the technology.

Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Nissan, BYD, and many other automakers have begun to embrace the technology.

Photo Credit: iStock

Chinese technology company Huawei has stepped into the EV ring with a new solid-state battery that boasts up to 1,800 miles on a single charge. 

That could get you from Miami to Bangor, Maine, as Jalopnik reported, with a little bit of energy to spare. Plus, the company added that with the right-sized charger, it could be refueled in just 5 minutes. 

One of the largest hurdles to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles has been range limitations and charging times. 

People have become familiar with the speed of filling up at a gas station and the knowledge that another refueling spot will be easy to find. 

This achievement could herald a new age in EV technology, wherein range anxiety is a thing of the past, helping to boost adoption of this cleaner, more sustainable transportation technology. 

While Huawei's claims of an 1,800-mile range and five-minute charging are intriguing and have sparked interest in the EV community, they're still theoretical. 

Jalopnik notes that it would take a charger with an absurd amount of power to recharge so quickly. BYD previously showed off a megawatt charger that can add around 250 miles in five minutes, but cost and practicality are factors inhibiting commercialization.

Unlike industry-standard lithium-ion batteries, solid-state designs use solid electrolyte materials that are safer, less prone to overheating, and hold up to more charge-discharge cycles without degradation. 

Their energy densities also mean that these batteries can offer a longer range with less weight than their lithium-based counterparts. That said, Jalopnik hypothesized that the versions we may see in production models would be smaller and lighter, leading to less overall range. 

"The patent outlines a solid-state battery architecture with energy densities between 400 and 500 watt-hours per kilogram, potentially two to three times that of conventional lithium-ion cells," according to Car News China. "The filing also details a novel approach to improving electrochemical stability: doping sulfide electrolytes with nitrogen to address side reactions at the lithium interface, a long-standing obstacle to the commercialization of sulfide-based batteries." 

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Solid-state battery technology has been moving slowly in the face of high costs and a lack of commercial development, but the tide is changing. 

Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Nissan, BYD, and many other automakers have begun to embrace solid-state batteries as the next generation in EV technology. 

Choosing a highly efficient electric vehicle over polluting gasoline-powered models can help make a dent in the approximately 8.9 million barrels of dirty fuel consumed by internal combustion engine cars each day. 

The air will be cleaner, and drivers can save over $600 annually in fueling costs with an EV. 
By using EnergySage to compare solar panel installation quotes and get expert advice, homeowners can further reduce EV charging costs by charging at home with a renewable energy source.

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