New solid-state battery design by Mercedes partner ProLogium can increase a Tesla Model Y's range to 600 miles on a charge

After announcing the first solid-state battery cell with 100% silicon oxide anode, Mercedes' partner ProLogium used the ongoing EES expo to demonstrate a new solid-state battery pack structure that offers even higher energy density. Called large-footprint lithium ceramic battery (LLCB), the new design does for solid-state batteries what increasing the cell size from the 2170 to the 4680 standard did for current EV packs. 

The flat shape of the LLCB cell, coupled with the high thermal conductivity of the ceramic electrolyte used in solid-state batteries, allow for a more compact cooling system. At the same time, the larger cell size means less parallel connections. All of those design advancements drastically increase the volumetric density of the new solid-state battery. As per the Assistant Vice President of ProLogium Technology Product Center Simon Wu:

For the same space as the mainstream 2170 EV battery pack, the LLCB pack’s volumetric energy density can be nearly doubled, and for the same total energy, the LLCB pack’s weight can be cut by up to 115 kg. More importantly, the LLCB production processes will produce less waste in terms of substrate materials, and the reduced number of cells will require less raw materials, which means increased sustainability and affordability.

What this means is that a Tesla Model Y LR, for instance, which is currently powered by 2170 cells, will be able to go 79% further, as per the promo video below. That's nearly 600 miles of range on a charge with the same battery pack footprint if there are LLCB cells inside. A hypothetical Model Y battery made by ProLogium would also be lighter and its production more sustainable.

ProLogium, which recently announced a €5.2 billion solid-state battery factory in France, will be sampling its new LLCB cells with European carmakers like Mercedes-Benz later this year. The planned capacity of the solid-state battery factory in Dunkirk is for 48 GWh of annual output which will be deployed in several phases.

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