Hydro-Québec announced a partnership with the carmaker to develop them.
We would not expect it to be otherwise, but that was definitely fast. Hydro-Québec announced on January 31 that it would help license the patents for the innovative solid-glass electrolyte that was developed by John B. Goodenough and Maria Helena Braga. On February 4, it informed that Mercedes-Benz AG, a subsidiary of Daimler AG, would help it develop solid-state battery technology. In other words, we already know who will try to license Goodenough’s technology first.
Gallery: Hydro-Québec Will Help Sell Innovative Solid-State Battery Electrolyte
8 Photos It is not unlikely that the two initiatives are independent, as the press release’s tone suggests, but it is quite a coincidence that they are so close. Both refer to the same groundbreaking technology. Hydro-Québec wants to help sell the solid-state electrolyte technology, and Daimler intends to have it. We think that will inevitably lead to a deal. Look what Jochen Hermann, Vice President of Development eDrive at Mercedes-Benz AG, had to say about the deal: “The battery is a key component of our electric vehicles. Mastering their chemistry is, therefore, a focal topic for Mercedes-Benz research and development. Solid-state batteries are supposed to be the next important technology leap for e-mobility, meaning an alternative to today’s Li-ion battery systems. The latest advancements Hydro-Québec researchers have made are very promising and we are looking forward to the first results of our joint development program.” Karim Zaghib, General Manager of Hydro-Québec’s “Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage,” reinforced the practical aspects of the partnership. “We’re pleased to be partnering with Mercedes-Benz, an automotive company with an enviable reputation, to pursue our research even further. Our association will allow us to test new materials quickly in field conditions, and so accelerate the development cycle and respond to the concerns of automobile manufacturers.” It is worth noting that the cooperation between Mercedes-Benz AG and Hydro-Québec involves solid-state batteries, not only the solid-glass electrolyte. That means that other research from Goodenough and Braga about that could also end up in Mercedes-Benz vehicles or even on Smart, which is now an EV-only brand under Geely’s responsibility. That means we could see a solid-state cell that increases its energy capacity with time, as Goodenough and Braga announced back in 2018. More than that, these cells could be on Daimler vehicles as soon as they reach production status. Source: Hydro-Québec via Green Car Congress Source: Read Full Article
