Mercedes-Benz is announcing a milestone in solid-state battery development. In recent testing, a lightly modified Mercedes-Benz EQS prototype traveled an incredible 749 miles on a single charge. The trip - which took the EQS through three countries - also ties the 749 mile Guinness Book World record set by the Lucid Air Grand Touring set in July. The Lucid uses a standard lithium-ion battery with a liquid electrolyte, not a solid-state.
liquid electrolyte
The EQS test was conducted in Europe last month where Mercedes says the EV traveled from Stuttgart in Germany to Malmö in Sweden without a single charging stop. Not only that, but there were still 85 miles of range remaining once it arrived at its final destination.
The recent real-world EQS road test was part of Mercedes-Benz's comprehensive validation program for solid-state battery technology that also includes digital simulations and testing at state-of-the-art facilities in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen. The automaker says the goal is to assess overall vehicle performance across different climate zones and route profiles and accelerate the path to series production.
“The solid-state battery is a true gamechanger for electric mobility," said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement. "With the successful long-distance drive of the EQS, we show that this technology delivers not only in the lab but also on the road. Our goal is to bring innovations like this into series production by the end of the decade and offer our customers a new level of range and comfort.”
During the course of the trip, the optimal route was calculated using Electric Intelligence, which Mercedes-Benz says factors in topography, traffic, ambient temperature and energy needs for heating and cooling — without the use of ferries.
Solid-State Battery Tech
The solid-state battery is based on Formula 1 technology and was developed with Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) using cells from U.S.-based solid-state cell manufacturer Factorial Energy. For more specifics on how they were able to increase the usable energy content of the battery by 25 percent compared to the standard EQS battery, click here. Mercedes-Benz says the combination of long range, efficiency and technological maturity marks a milestone for solid-state battery development and highlights its potential for future production vehicles.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz.