Even lofty ambitions can be thwarted by high prices.
Look no further than solid-state battery science for proof, according to experts from China University of Science and Technology. They were interviewed by the South China Morning Post about an impressive power pack breakthrough that doesn't break the budget.
In fact, the solid-state innovation could bring a transformative battery to market at less than 10% of the standard cost without sacrificing performance, per the story. The goal is to develop a lightweight, safe, and less-costly energy storage unit for electric vehicles and other applications.
"Although researchers around the world are striving to reduce the cost through various methods, long-term exploration has shown that it is quite difficult to achieve this goal," university researcher Ma Cheng told the newspaper.
The innovation from Cheng and his team has a simple starting point: Remove some of the very expensive materials. The experts targeted sulfide, a commonly used solid electrolyte material with a notoriously high price tag, finding a cheaper way to synthesize it.
When batteries operate, ions move between the anode and cathode through a typically liquid substance called electrolyte. Solid versions improve performance and safety, per the Post.
The team developed a sulfide electrolyte, dubbed LPSO for short, that doesn't require lithium sulfide in the recipe, lowering the expense. It is synthesized from "two low-cost compounds." The goal is to get the electrolyte price to less than $50 per kilogram ($50 per 2.2 pounds). Sulfide versions now on the market generally run about $195, all according to the Post's reporting.
LPSO comes in even cheaper than Cheng's goal, at $14.42 per kilogram. What's more, the lower price provides for an electrolyte that functions just as well as other "best performing" solid-state versions. It also cycled for 4,200 hours at room temperature, per the Post.
It's part of an overall solid-state push in China. Early this year, the Post noted that the country started a consortium that includes government, academics, and businesses to develop the chemistry. Battery giant CATL and EV maker BYD are involved.
If the effort provides for an ultra-cheap battery, it could expand an already growing market. A record 1.2 million EVs were sold in the United States alone last year. A U.S. Department of Energy chart shows that when compared to gas-guzzling cars, battery-powered ones prevent thousands of pounds of harmful, heat-trapping air pollution each year. Exhaust fumes are linked by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to increased risks for cancer as well as heart and lung diseases.
Switching to an EV can also provide for substantial savings on gas and maintenance expenses. Tax credits of up to $7,500 can help to make the rides even more affordable.
In China, Cheng told the Post that the latest electrolyte is a starting point for more innovations to come.
LPSO "is still expected to achieve further improvements in performance, and we are working toward that," the expert told the newspaper.
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