Mercedes-Benz Inks New Deal With HUGE Benefits

Chances are everyone has heard of solid-state batteries but not all may fully understand the technology's long-term significance. Currently, pure battery-electric vehicles like theMercedes-Benz EQSandTesla Model Suse lithium-ion batteries, but they're not perfect. One major weakness is they utilize organic liquid electrolytes, which are flammable at extremely high temperatures. Not only is this a fire concern but it's also troubling because firefighters have experienced difficulties extinguishing the flames quickly.

In contrast, solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte to regulate the lithium ions, thereby nearly eliminating the fire risk. They're also smaller, lighter, and are supposedly capable of providing 2.5 times more energy density, resulting in greater driving distance. Automakers like Toyota are already investing heavily in the technology and now Mercedes, perBloomberg, has done the same.

上周,德国汽车制造商签署了一份deal with Taiwanese startup ProLogium that'll see it invest a "high double-digit million euro" figure. Interestingly, this isn't the first time Mercedes has poured money into a solid-state battery tech company. Late last year, the automaker, along with Stellantis,announced a significant investmentin Massachusetts-based Factorial Energy.

Fellow German carmakers BMW and the Volkswagen Group have invested in separate solid-state tech firms. Ironically, VW was the first to invest back in 2012, three years before the Dieselgate crisis was exposed. Elsewhere, Nissan and Toyota are also focusing immense time and money into getting solid-state batteries to market, the former hoping to do soby 2028. Notably absent from the solid-state battery party is Tesla. Why is that?