A sulfide-based solid-state battery that promises a range of over 3,000 kilometers and can be charged in as little as five minutes?
It’s hard to believe, given that we’ve been hearing for years that solid-state batteries are still a decade away, but when a giant like Huawei files a patent for it, there’s no smoke without fire.
Two times higher density
The Chinese electronics giant has now filed a patent with the government agency for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries with ultra-high ionic conductivity.
According to the patent, energy densities range from 400 to 500 Wh/kg, potentially two to three times that of conventional lithium-ion cells.
They claim a new technique: doping sulfide electrolytes with nitrogen, to address side reactions that are a common hurdle in today’s first solid-state batteries.
Several key advantages
Sulfide-based solid-state batteries offer several key advantages over conventional liquid electrolyte batteries and even other types of solid-state batteries (like oxide- or polymer-based).
Higher ionic conductivity results in faster charging and improved performance at room temperature. Sulfides enable the use of lithium metal without many of the dendrite risks seen in liquid systems. Lithium metal anodes can dramatically increase energy density (up to 2 times that of graphite).
And it is safer: no flammable liquids, so thermal runaway risk is significantly reduced, especially under mechanical stress.
Race for solid-state
Huawei isn’t the only major player investing in solid-state technology. Others, such as Solid Power, which has partners including Ford and BMW (USA), as well as Japanese companies like Toyota, Panasonic, NKG, Mitsubishi Chemical, and Hitachi, or South Korean Samsung SDI, are developing sulfide-based solid-state batteries using lithium metal anodes.
So, why did Huawei, a giant in electronics and communication with deep pockets, somewhat like Apple in the US, invest in EV batteries? Huawei is thriving in the automotive industry, too.
It not only develops intelligent assisted driving systems and digital smart cockpits, but also charging stations and battery storage systems. Many of the new cars under the Chinese Wenjie brand are based on standards and technologies from Huawei. However, Huawei does not produce them.
The Wenjie car brand is not made by Huawei itself, but by Seres, in partnership with Huawei. A breakthrough in solid-state batteries could mean a significant breakthrough for Huawei in the automotive sector, as the company currently heavily relies on batteries from China’s major battery manufacturers, such as CATL or BYD.
Skeptical about claims
Specialists are skeptical about the figures Huawei mentions in its patent filing, such as the 3,000 km range and five-minute charging. Still, the main question is whether, and if so, how soon, this kind of technology can reach maturity.
Toyota, for instance, unveiled a prototype in 2023, claiming a 1,200-kilometre range and a 10-minute charge time, which would be commercially available by 2027-2028. CATL aims to begin pilot production of a hybrid solid-state battery by 2027.
According to Chinese media, some 7,600 solid-state battery patents are filed annually in China, representing 36.7% of global activity. Technology moves fast.
