Spanish battery developer Basquevolt has launched what it describes as a next-generation lithium-metal battery cell for electric vehicles, claiming gravimetric energy density of more than 400Wh/kg and compatibility with existing gigafactory manufacturing infrastructure.
The company introduced its BQV400L cell on 22 May, positioning it as a step towards the industrialisation of lithium-metal batteries using a hybrid polymer electrolyte architecture.
According to Basquevolt, the pouch-format cell delivers energy density of 402Wh/kg and can support ultra-fast charging from 10% to 80% state of charge in under 15 minutes. The company added that the chemistry is designed to improve safety and reduce manufacturing costs compared with conventional lithium-ion cells.
Basquevolt said the cell uses a lithium-metal anode combined with what it calls a “proprietary composite electrolyte”, which it claims enables higher energy density while remaining compatible with current roll-to-roll battery manufacturing processes.
The company stated that the technology could reduce capital expenditure and energy consumption during cell manufacturing by around 30% compared with conventional lithium-ion production methods.
Lithium-metal, but “solid-state”?
However, there remains some ambiguity over whether the BQV400L should strictly be classified as a solid-state battery. While Basquevolt frequently refers to the technology as “solid-state”, the company’s use of a hybrid polymer electrolyte means it may fall into the growing category of semi-solid or quasi-solid-state cells rather than an all-solid-state architecture.
The announcement follows a series of industrial and automotive partnerships for Basquevolt over the past year as the company attempts to move from pilot-scale development towards commercial production.
In February, Renault Group EV subsidiary Ampere announced a collaboration with Basquevolt to develop “pre-A sample” lithium-metal cells for future electric vehicle applications. The partners said the cells were intended to offer higher energy density and improved thermal stability while maintaining compatibility with established manufacturing lines.
Basquevolt has also been involved in the ASTRA-CC project in Spain, which integrated solid-state battery modules into stationary storage demonstrators alongside utility company Iberdrola and other partners.
The company was founded in 2021 with backing from the Basque regional government and a consortium including Iberdrola, CIE Automotive and Enagás. It has previously outlined plans for industrial-scale battery production capacity of up to 10GWh by 2027.
While Basquevolt’s performance claims are notable, much of the published data currently remains company-supplied, and independent long-term validation of cycle life, durability and manufacturability at scale has yet to emerge publicly.
