German automotive supplier Continental is reportedly mulling investments in solid-state battery production in a bid to compete with electric vehicle battery manufacturers in the US and Asia.
CEO Elmar Degenhart (pictured) was quoted as telling German trade publication Automobilwoche: “We could well imagine getting into the production of innovative batteries. That also goes for producing battery cells.”
However, Degenhart said the firm would not be interested in lithium-ion batteries— but rather in the next generation of solid-state batteries.
“We need a technology leap in energy density and costs,” Degenhart said. “Such solid-state cells can manage without liquid electrolyte and so are far less flammable.”
Degenhart said Continental would be likely to work with partners to share development costs, which he estimated could be around EUR3 billion ($3.5bn) for a plant that could supply around 500,000 electric cars a year.
Earlier this year, South Korea’s Hyundai was reportedly investing in developing solid-state lithium batteries because of the lower risk they posed for ignition or explosions. The company was said to be working on pilot-scale battery production facilities.
