Fisker's New Batteries Could Deliver 500 Miles Of Range And Recharge In One Minute

Electric car maker Fisker is claiming to have patented a new type of solid-state battery that could deliver a 500-mile range in a recharge time of just one minute.

A three-dimensional structure increases the surface area inside the batteries. The net result, Fisker says, is an energy density 2.5 times greater than in today’s best lithium-ion batteries. The 3D design should also overcome solid-state’s known limitations, namely lower power output and vulnerability to cold temperatures.

The technologies are said to allow the electrodes to cover a surface area 25 times greater than in traditional ‘thin-film’ designs. Fisker will display its apparent achievements at CES in January. The batteries will all be designed to integrate with current manufacturing infrastructure and tooling.

Speaking this week, Dr Fabio Albano, vice president of Fisker Inc, was quoted as saying:

“This breakthrough marks the beginning of a new era in solid-state materials and manufacturing technologies.

“We are addressing all of the hurdles that solid-state batteries have encountered on the path to commercialisation, such as performance in cold temperatures; the use of low cost and scalable manufacturing methods; and the ability to form bulk solid-state electrodes with significant thickness and high active material loadings.

“We are excited to build on this foundation and move the needle in energy storage.”

We’re a bit sceptical over the recharge times in particular: how thick would the charging cable have to be to let such a colossal amount of e-juice flow into the batteries in such a short time? And wouldn’t that damage them, anyway? We’ll have to wait for more info.

Source: Daily Mail (beware the sidebar of shame)