Mercedes-Benz partners with and invests in ProLogium to develop next-generation solid-state battery cells for EVs
28 January 2022
Mercedes-Benz and ProLogium, a developer of solid-state batteries (earlier post), have signed a technology cooperation agreement to develop next-generation battery cells. Mercedes-Benz will also make a high double-digit million euro investment in ProLogium.
Under the agreement, Mercedes-Benz will take a seat on the ProLogium board of directors. The investment by Mercedes-Benz will be used to support the development of the technology and ProLogium’s plan of establishing production capacity in Europe.
The first Mercedes-Benz test vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries co-developed with ProLogium are expected to be introduced in the coming years.
The companies also agreed on milestones that would enable integration of the solid-state battery technology into a range of passenger vehicles in the second half of the decade.
We believe that range and efficiency are the new industry benchmarks for electric cars. Solid-state technology helps to cut down battery size and weight. This is why we are partnering with companies like ProLogium to ensure that Mercedes-Benz continues to break new ground in the automotive sector - for the benefit of our customers.
—Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Procurement
We have been working with Mercedes-Benz on the testing of our EV battery cells since 2016 and are excited to strengthen and expand our partnership. We expect to work with Mercedes-Benz to demonstrate the effective application of our safe, high-performance solid-state battery cells to meet the Mercedes-Benz top quality standards. At ProLogium, we believe that innovative technology must be backed by the scalability of production. We look forward to ramping up our new plant by the end of 2022 and working with our customers toward successful mass production.
—Vincent Yang, CEO and Founder of ProLogium Technology
Founded in 2006, ProLogium is the first battery company to mass-produce solid-state lithium ceramic batteries. Its proprietary technologies cover more than 480 (applied or awarded) patents worldwide. ProLogium’s automated pilot production line has provided nearly 8,000 solid-state battery sample cells to global car manufacturers for testing and module development. By the end of 2022, ProLogium will complete the establishment of a GWh plant near Taipei, followed by capacity expansion plans in major markets worldwide.
ProLogium says that its solutions are based on four core technologies:
A highly stable oxide electrolyte that enables the use of high-utilization cathode and anode materials.
The lithium ceramic battery (LCB) platform that addresses the low ion conductivity, brittleness and poor interface contact that can be characteristic of ceramic oxide electrolytes. Components of the LCB include:
Ceramion, ProLogium’s internal conduction technology that solves the initial weakness of higher inner resistance to enable 5C fast charge.
Micro Cell, a micro-island-like composition that organizes independent microscopic cells in a unique structure. The micro cells are linked on the vertical Z axis, enabling high strength and high conductivity, while the horizontal XY axes have slight connectivity. LCB is thus capable of dynamic bending with no cracking issues.
Logithium, proprietary solid-state battery cell packaging technology that greatly enhances LCB’s bending capability while making it airtight and watertight, simultaneously improving LCB’s yield ratio. Logithium tech licensing is now open to SSB manufacturing customers. ProLogium can provide consulting services for product design and development.
Active Safety Mechanism (ASM), an “active” defense system that will automatically shut down battery cell, module, and pack in case of abuse and break off the battery’s internal thermal reactions.
MAB battery pack, a combination of extremely simplified cell-to-pack packaging and BiPolar technology allowing electrodes to be directly stacked in series and parallel. The number of cells are thus greatly reduced (8-12), eliminating the space and materials needed in external series and parallel stacking and greatly enhancing assembly efficiency. The MAB pack will be able to achieve long range that is unparalleled in conventional LiB.
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