[Mani59]

Quite a bit of battery related news out today from BMW but I think the article from AutoCar sums up the battery cell of the future update from BMW pretty well:

Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/t...e-battery-2025

BMW says it will develop solid-state battery technology suitable for use in road cars by the end of the decade, with a demonstrator vehicle due before 2025.

The technology has been on the company’s radar for some time, but this is the first instance of BMW committing to a timescale on its development.

In theory, they would also be less reliant on the public charging network, as more drivers could top up at their destinations rather than en route.

"The greenest electric car in the world will be a BMW – sustainable from the initial idea to recycling after its use phase,” claimed BMW board member Frank Weber. “We are developing the battery cell of the future: it will be powerful, safe, cost-effective and recyclable - from material selection to recyclability after the use in the vehicle. All of this will be created in a European value chain.”

BMW hopes that its research will bring costs down into line with the latest internal combustion engines, which are considerably cheaper to make as electric vehicles are still in their infancy.

It believes the energy density of cells could increase by a “mid-double-digit percentage range” using solid-state technology.

"With the Neue Klasse [BMW’s moniker for its next-generation vehicles], we will make a big leap in technology in electric drive," said Oliver Zipse, chairman of BMW’s board. "We want to significantly increase the energy density of the cells and reduce the costs of material use and production at the same time. We will also significantly reduce the use of primary material to ensure a truly 'green' battery."

The firm claims that the proportion of cobalt used in its batteries fell from 33% in the i3 supermini to 10% in the iX3 SUV, while nickel content increased to 80%. As much as 50% of the nickel used in the forthcoming iX SUV is recycled, it claims.

BMW plans to have a dozen fully electric vehicles on sale by 2023: the i4 saloon will join the line-up along with the iX later this year, and electric versions of the 5 Series, 7 Series and a successor to the Mini Countryman are planned.

Another aspect of BMW’s research will focus on the recyclability of batteries, with the aim of establishing a fully recyclable cell.

And the video from BMW (in German)

[chassis]

Solid state battery technology, if successful, is a step towards 5 minute battery recharge time from 0% no charge to 100% full charge, on par with ICE "recharges".

What is the ETA for launch of full scale mass production of this technology?

[MoeMuc]

Originally Posted by chassis

Solid state battery technology, if successful, is a step towards 5 minute battery recharge time from 0% no charge to 100% full charge, on par with ICE "recharges".

What is the ETA for launch of full scale mass production of this technology?

Latest 2030 according to BMW

[SteveinArizona]

BMW's predictions on new technology have not been very accurate at timelines:

"In 2016, BMW announced a high profile collaboration with Intel and Mobileye to develop autonomous cars. Officially the goal was to get “highly and fully automated driving into series production by 2021.”

Elmar Frickenstein, BMW’s Senior Vice President for Autonomous Driving, said that they should have Level 3 cars by that deadline but it would be possible the company could deliver cars with Level 4 or 5 capacity in 2021."

https://emerj.com/ai-adoption-timeli...ty%20in%202021.

I don't expect that this timeline will be met either.

[MoeMuc]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

BMW's predictions on new technology have not been very accurate at timelines:

"In 2016, BMW announced a high profile collaboration with Intel and Mobileye to develop autonomous cars. Officially the goal was to get "highly and fully automated driving into series production by 2021."

Elmar Frickenstein, BMW's Senior Vice President for Autonomous Driving, said that they should have Level 3 cars by that deadline but it would be possible the company could deliver cars with Level 4 or 5 capacity in 2021."

https://emerj.com/ai-adoption-timeli...ty%20in%202021.

I don't expect that this timeline will be met either.

Well I'd say the whole industry was too optimistic regarding automatic driving and let's not forget the legal issues that are still unsolved all over the world. But I find it interesting projecting one difficult topic where the timeline didn't work out well to a general conclusion. From what I have experienced in the past, the most things that have been announced have been delivered in the promised timeline.

The question that I have is, if the solid state technology really will be ready by 2025-2030, was it really worth it to go with the masses of lithium batteries? The lithium extraction is so problematic, all this just to drive with it for a couple of years.

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by MoeMuc

The question that I have is, if the solid state technology really will be ready by 2025-2030, was it really worth it to go with the masses of lithium batteries? The lithium extraction is so problematic, all this just to drive with it for a couple of years.

The bolded section of your reply is just further demonstration that the technology will not be ready that soon. Because, as you say, who do that if solid state batteries are in our near future. Don't get me wrong...I wish it would be ready.

BMW is behind its competitors in 800 volt wiring (which can lead to faster charging) so IMHO this kind of propaganda is simply to freeze potential buyers in place.

Lets just wait until 2030 and see.

[chassis]

I haven't seen a concise summary of the environmental impact of lithium technology EVs compared with ICE vehicles. This means from digging the elements out of the ground, to recycling at end of life. In fairness, I don't search hard for this information, but with all of the hype around EVs, it should be easy to come by.

Next, what is the environmental impact of solid state technology EVs compared with ICE vehicles?

Down the road from me, a local recycling company holds monthly "e-recycling" events. Will I need to remove the solid state battery from my EV and take it to the e-recycling center, and pay a bloody fortune to get rid of it, when its time is up?

Will the global EV auto industry consolidate solid state battery component and assembly manufacturing in one country in Asia? It's a risk based on the past 18 months of global "events".

EVs are so not ready for prime time.