The SSB is a futuristic and high-potential technology within the EV battery ecosystem. The technology is in a development phase and has attracted a major share from the battery R&D investment basket. The battery has a solid electrolyte instead of liquid and does not require a separator. A major property of solid is its structural rigidity at thermal and mechanical loading. For a solid electrolyte-based cell, the ionic mobility is high due to close packing of atoms within the electrolyte. The solid-state concept allows a high operating temperature range covering most of the extreme climatic conditions. Polymer-based solid electrolyte has achieved much more success in comparison to other material technology. The U.S. leads the development of solid-state technology with many universities working on government funded projects. Japan has also been on an aggressive forefront to develop innovative battery technology, and solid-state has a major share in the research and development.
Material manufacturers form the backbone of the battery manufacturing supply chain. The supply chain can be divided into four categories – raw material, component manufacturer, cell construction, and battery pack development. The end of product life is an important factor, requiring a sustainable method for recycling the EV battery for recharge and reuse or material extraction. The raw material and SSB battery component accounted for over 33% of the total electric vehicle cost based on data points between 2016 and 2018.
The development of EV has led to the development of new opportunities and businesses due to the requirement of unique components and service infrastructure. The timeline is based on mass volume penetration of SSB-based EV models in the industry. However, in the initial phase of development, the solid-state technology is estimated to have high cost varying in the range of ~$800/kWh to ~$400kWh by the year 2026. At this level, the solid-state technology is expected to be applicable in premium vehicles, supercars, and luxury cars, as they can easily accommodate such technology in their expansive cost bracket. Between 2022 and 2026, an initial market penetration is expected in the passenger EV market as deducted from various market strategies, such as funding, investments, partnerships, and collaboration taking place in the solid-state battery ecosystem.
According to the latest report, titled 'Global Automotive Solid-State Battery Market: Analysis and Forecast (2020-2030)’, the market is expected to reach $1.94 billion by 2030. The major factors driving the market are the exponentially rising demand for electric vehicles, stringent governmental regulations to improve fuel economy of vehicles across the globe, and technical and operational advantages of solid-state lithium-ion battery.
Few Companies Mentioned in the Report: