First US road tests for Dodge Charger fitted with solid-state batteries

A long-awaited giant leap in battery technology has taken another significant shuffle forward – thanks to the first fitting of a new type of hyper-efficient fast-charging battery in a road-going car in North America.

A Dodge Charger guinea-pig vehicle has just been fitted with this revolutionary 'solid-state' battery pack for on-the-road testing. There are no details yet on how long this is expected to last and what tests are involved but this practical level of assessment normally suggests imminent application in production vehicle planning.

Global car-making group Stellantis hasn’t previously been characterized as a technology pioneer but that seems to be changing. The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery. It’s all thanks to its partnership with American battery tech experts at Factorial Energy.

Last year the two companies announced exciting progress on creating an electric-vehicle (EV) battery with a claimed energy density of 375 watt-hours per kilogram (almost double many current EV battery capacities), the ability to recharge from 15 to 90 percent in just 18 minutes and reliability at temperatures ranging from -22 ºF to 113 ºF (-30 ºC to 45 ºC). All that was very impressive – but was not based on in-the-car, on-the-road, real-world testing.

And moving the new battery from the lab bench out onto the road clearly wasn’t easy. Stellantis says getting the cells into the development vehicle 'demanded advanced engineering solutions' from both companies. Knowing auto engineers that probably means lots of swearing and finally using a crowbar and lump hammer to make the thing fit. Officially however, Factorial’s FEST (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) solid-state cells were integrated into the existing battery pack using a 'whole new mechanical architecture,' with the Stellantis engineers reworking the control systems and pack design.

These aptly-named Charger experiments reportedly represent the first time that any of the new type of solid-state EV batteries have been integrated into a proper road-going car in North America.

We've been reporting on the game-changing potential for these solid-state batteries for years. The brief bonus is that they promise higher energy density and faster recharging rates. Despite the hype, we've still not seen them in production-spec cars in the US.. until now.

However, we reported last year on similar tests starting in Europe though, via BMW and Mercedes, which also has a link with Factorial. We’ve seen how Honda is also involved in the chase to be first to bring a solid-state EV to the market, and recently we looked at a seemingly advanced MG project.

We’re clearly on the cusp of a breakthrough, with manufacturers eagerly jostling to be first to claim bragging rights for the first solid-state EV on the market. Naturally, we'll keep following new developments as they happen so stay tuned.

In the meantime, here’s a brief recap of the tech involved. Solid-state batteries still use lithium as the primary ion donor, the actual upgrade is replacing the traditional 'liquid' or 'gel' electrolyte with a 'solid electrolyte. It’s more complex than that of course, because some of the new 'solid-state' batteries, like Factorial’s, use a 'semi-solid' electrolyte.

Factorial describes it as a 'hybrid between liquid and solid' that comprises a "solid matrix infused with a liquid or gel-like electrolyte." It is said to offer increased thermal stability/reduced flammability in comparison to standard liquid electrolytes with smoother ionic conductivity. Importantly Factorial also claims the semi-solid systems are easier (ie cheaper) to manufacture than all-solid-state electrolytes.

The ultra-fast charging will be the immediate appeal to EV buyers but the battery’s higher efficiency is the real long-term bonus. It means batteries can be much smaller and lighter yet perform as well as larger packs that use more conventional chemistry.

Last year Factorial suggested it could power test a Tesla with a battery weighing 565 lb (256 kg) compared to the 1,377 lb (624.5 kg) standard on-board battery. In addition, the solid-state battery needs less structural bracing and mounting, so total weight savings could be much more.

Major automakers may be trialing solid-state prototypes promising ranges over 700 miles and five-minute charging but mass-market adoption is probably still a couple of years away. In the meantime though, we’ve reported how solid-state batteries are already powering a different road vehicle. Verge Motorcycles is already shipping production bikes with solid-state packs.

The Estonian brand’s Gen 2 TS Pro features a prominent hub motor located where the rear wheel would be. And it’s the first ever production-ready all-solid-state battery-powered vehicle. The battery comes from the company's spinoff firm, Donut Lab. The 0-62 sprint takes just 3.6 seconds, range is up to 372 miles (600 km) and owners can top up 80% of its capacity in just 10 minutes.

Source: Stellantis