Samsung's latest battery breakthrough stole headlines in late July during the SNE Battery Day expo in Seoul, per Top Speed — and it's easy to see why.
The company announced a solid-state battery with a 600-mile range, according to reports from Top Speed, Interesting Engineering, and others. What's more, the articles note that the power pack can charge to 80% in just nine minutes.
If true, and if the battery can be brought to market soon, the results could blow the doors off industry standards.
Charge speeds vary by battery type, charger type, and power source. Kelley Blue Book notes that it could take anywhere from only 15 minutes to an entire day to charge an electric vehicle. Using a three-prong outlet common in most homes provides some of the longest charge times.
Innovations from Tesla, BYD, and others are providing ever-faster power-up speeds and ranges. The Tesla Model Y is marketed with an "estimated" 320-mile range, for example. The company's at-home wall connector can provide 44 miles after an hour's charge. If using one of Tesla's 50,000 Superchargers, the Model Y can get 160 miles worth of power in 15 minutes, all per the EV maker.
Samsung's battery would be among the industry's elite when it comes to performance.
"The introduction of a 600-mile solid-state battery has the potential to change the electric vehicle market and buyer perception," Top Speed's Andrew Koopman wrote.
In contrast to common lithium-ion power packs, Samsung's battery uses a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid one. Ions move between the anode and cathode through the electrolyte during operation, as the U.S. Department of Energy explains. Top Speed reports that solid electrolytes provide more energy storage and better safety. Samsung's tech, using solid-sulfide science, is also touted as having a remarkable 20-year lifespan, per the article.
"We supplied samples to customers from the end of last year to the beginning of this year and are receiving positive feedback," according to a Samsung statement in the IE story.
The innovation could eliminate once and for all so-called range anxiety, a barb for prospective EV buyers that is becoming more of a stereotype than factual. That's because the average EV range is up to 270 miles. That's well above the typical daily travel distance for U.S. drivers, which is just under 40 miles, according to Kelley Blue Book.
And more people are realizing the perks of going with an EV, including up to $7,500 in tax breaks to buy one. EV drivers typically save up to $1,500 a year on gas and maintenance costs, too. That's in addition to the thousands of pounds of yearly heat-trapping, lung-troubling air pollution that is avoided by parking a gas-guzzler, according to the DOE and U.S. Department of Transportation.
Samsung is planning to mass-produce solid-state batteries within the next couple of years. The company is also working on other less-expensive options, which likely won't have the "premium" 600-mile range, all according to IE.
"We will not only match the price in the popular and entry-level segments, but also mass produce products that can be rapidly charged in 9 minutes by 2026," Samsung said, per IE.
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