Volkswagen’s PowerCo and QuantumScape announce agreement to industrialize solid-state batteries; targeting Volkswagen Group vehicle series
12 July 2024
Volkswagen Group’s battery company PowerCo and QuantumScape have entered into an agreement to industrialize QuantumScape’s next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. Upon satisfactory technical progress and certain royalty payments, QuantumScape will grant PowerCo the license to mass produce battery cells based on QuantumScape’s technology platform.
Under the non-exclusive license, PowerCo can manufacture up to 40 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year using QuantumScape’s technology with the option to expand up to 80 GWh annually, enough to outfit approximately one million vehicles per year.
The companies believe this high-touch engagement represents the fastest way to achieve gigawatt-hour-scale production of solid-state technology to meet the growing global demand for better electric vehicle batteries. The agreement supersedes an earlier joint venture between the Volkswagen Group and QuantumScape to co-manufacture batteries.
The agreement creates a highly collaborative partnership that amplifies the companies’ core competencies—QuantumScape’s technology and PowerCo’s global capabilities in industrialization and manufacturing facilities. It will feature a combined workforce initiative to accelerate the industrialization of QuantumScape’s technology. A large, dedicated scale-up team, composed of experts from both companies, will execute on the industrialization activities.
QuantumScape’s technology platform is based on the company’s proprietary solid-state ceramic separator, which enables the use of a pure lithium-metal anode—an innovation that is designed for exceptional energy and power density, fast charging and a robust safety profile. Together, the companies will target a product that will be scaled-up for integration in a Volkswagen Group vehicle series.
PowerCo is a global battery cell manufacturer that was founded by the Volkswagen Group in 2022. Headquartered in Salzgitter, the company is responsible for the development and production of battery cells as well as the vertical integration of the value chain. PowerCo is currently building a total of three cell factories with a total volume of up to 200 gigawatt-hours per year: Salzgitter in Germany, Valencia in Spain and St. Thomas in Canada.
Now all that remains for QS to finalize is the adaptation of their technological platform to different chemistries. In accordance with numerous QS-statements of the past this should be compatible with various other chemistries.
Posted by: yoatmon | 12 July 2024 at 03:46 AM
This is excellent news. The QS secret sauce of their anode free design is their ceramic electrolyte which also serves as separator. Their design does not lend itself to being easily implemented within the existing LiB foundry. New manufacturing facilities will have to be built for their product to be mass produced. This is going to take a few years before we see it in more than concept and prototype vehicles. We can expect that initially this will be in high end vehicles. If all goes well this and competing tech will be mainstream in the latter part of this decade.
Posted by: Gasbag | 12 July 2024 at 08:00 AM
@yoatman
I think you may be thinking of Factorial Energy who also are developing SSBs and are closing in on commercialization.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/factorial-delivers-b-samples-of-solid-state-battery-cells-to-mercedes-benz/
Posted by: Gasbag | 13 July 2024 at 06:44 AM
@ Gasbag;
Not quite. I'm thinking of GMG an Australian venture. Their solution, encompassing Aluminum and Graphene, has so far delivered astounding results. Their chemistry solution, combined with the technological platform of QS, would deliver a non plus ultra product. Qs has mentioned several times in the past that their tech platform is also functionally compatible with other chemistries.
https://graphenemg.com/gmgs-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-update-minimal-temperature-rise-identified-while-fast-charging/
Posted by: yoatmon | 14 July 2024 at 07:22 AM
It is manufacturing compatibility that is the problem. Of solid Power, Prologium QS, and Factorial Energy I believe only FE has claimed their tech integrates easily with existing manufacturing.
A bigger issue for these is likely to be their initial cost while they ramp production. If they go the all or nothing route as hydrogen fuel cell cars have done then they may end up with next to nothing. They may have to start on smaller form factors where cost is less an issue; laptops, watches, phones, power tools, etc. super cars are another option but there is a limited market for those.
Posted by: Gasbag | 16 July 2024 at 06:41 AM