{"id":10396,"date":"2015-09-18T12:51:54","date_gmt":"2015-09-18T19:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=10396"},"modified":"2015-09-18T12:51:54","modified_gmt":"2015-09-18T19:51:54","slug":"bosch-doubles-down-on-solid-state-batteries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/bosch-doubles-down-on-solid-state-batteries\/","title":{"rendered":"Bosch Doubles Down on Solid-State Batteries"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bosch, the German electronics giant<\/a>, is making a strong showing at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), and showing off its solid-state Li-ion battery technology.\u00a0 It recently acquired Seeo, Inc., an American startup that has been developing such a battery for several years, and will add Seeo\u2019s research to its own expertise and exclusive patents.<\/p>\n

Encouragingly, the company says it will be able to double the energy density of Li-ion batteries while cutting prices by half.\u00a0 Perhaps discouragingly, Bosch says this will take until 2020 to bring to production.<\/p>\n

\"Bosch's<\/a>

Bosch’s solid-state cell compared graphically with conventional Lithium-ion cell<\/p><\/div>\n

Green Car Congress<\/em> <\/a>quotes Dr. Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management for Robert Bosch GmbH, claiming a breakthrough.\u00a0 \u201cBosch is using its knowledge and considerable financial resources to achieve a breakthrough for electromobility. Solid-state cells could be a breakthrough technology. Disruptive start-up technology is meeting the broad systems knowledge and financial resources of a multinational company.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coupling the acquisition with its 30 production projects \u201crelated to electromobility,\u201d Bosch has been working with GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi Corporation in a joint venture \u2013 Lithium Energy and Power GmbH & Co., KG, dedicated to developing \u201ca more powerful generation of lithium-ion batteries.\u201d\u00a0 Bosch sees Seeo\u2019s technology as complementary to \u201cBosch\u2019s systems and technology know-how, GS Yuasa\u2019s cell competence, and Mitsubishi Corporation\u2019s broad industrial base.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeo provides the first sample cells which Bosch thinks meet automotive industry standards for durability and safety.\u00a0 Dr. Rolf Bulander,<\/a> Chairman of the Bosch Business Sector Mobility Solutions, claims, \u201cAvailability of the [EV] technology is not an issue, what is currently the roadblock to electrification is cost of the battery and it has to be solved. And when it is, electrification will take off.\u201d\u00a0 He sees doubling the range and cutting costs in half as crucial, obviously looking at Bosch\u2019s projections that globally there will be as many as eight million EVs on the road by 2025, along with another eight million PHEVs (plug-in hybrid vehicles), five million hybrids and 11 million mild hybrids.\u00a0 The latter is an area Bosch in which Bosch is particularly interested, having created a 48-Volt mild hybrid system of its own.<\/p>\n

\"Lux's<\/a>

Lux’s analysis, admittedly opinionated, for solid-state battery developers. \u00a0Seeo, and thus Bosch’s acquisition, get a “wait and see” rating<\/p><\/div>\n

Lux Research Senior Analyst, Cosmin Laslau, reports that Seeo has been trying to \u201cpivot from lower-energy LFP (lithium iron phosphate) cathodes towards higher-energy NCA (nickel cobalt aluminum) cathodes to keep ahead of the competition. It was also looking to set up joint ventures to help it scale up production of cells capable of 350 Wh\/kg, a crucial step in proving its new technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lux, a group specializing in research and consulting<\/a> on emerging technologies, indicates there are other solid-state players in the game, and gives its opinions on whether they are long-shots or sure things \u2013 at least as much as market foibles allow.\u00a0 Imprint Energy<\/a>,\u00a0Ilika<\/a>, and\u00a0ProLogium<\/a>\u00a0on the start-up front, and\u00a0Hydro-Quebec\u2019s IREQ<\/a>\u00a0arm on the industrial laboratory front, represent what Lux thinks are better bets for investors.\u00a0 Others, some of which we\u2019ve reported on in this blog, included Infinite Power Solutions, recently acquired by Apple; Sakti 3 and SolidEnergy, invested in by GM; and Quantumscape and Oxis Energy, both involved with VW.<\/p>\n

Lux thinks there might be \u201ca likely buying spree of next-generation battery technology over the coming years,\u201d leading to an \u201cunstoppable flow of plug-in and other electric vehicles.<\/p>\n

Laslau sees the limits of Li-ion causing the automakers to look at the new, next-best thing.\u00a0 \u201cAs these OEMs and their suppliers look to appeal to more buyers, the pressure for longer driving ranges for less money will push Li-ion to the breaking point, necessitating next-generation technology. For now, solid-state batteries are the best positioned to take that crown, but other families like lithium-sulfur, high-voltage cathodes, and alternative ions are worth watching, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

He cautions though, \u201cDespite the growing hype around solid-state batteries, do not expect Li-ion to lose its crown in the next decade<\/strong>.\u00a0 (Lux\u2019s bolding)\u00a0It will be surpassed eventually, and those that prepare now by securing key IP and leading researchers, will be the best positioned to prevail in the future of transportation drivetrains.\u201d<\/p>\n