Hyundai Motor Group continues to invest in solid-state batteries, even though conventional lithium-ion batteries are currently achieving rapid improvements in charging and performance. Manfred Harrer, the group’s head of research and development, said the company cannot abandon the technology and must remain involved in the race to develop it.
Current electric-vehicle batteries use a liquid electrolyte to transport lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes, while solid-state batteries replace this liquid with a solid material, usually ceramic or polymer. This design could enable a smaller pack, faster charging, and longer range, in addition to potential safety benefits. However, manufacturing solid-state cells at automotive scale remains a challenge that companies have not fully solved.
Limited-production vehicles first
Harrer expects limited-production vehicles using solid-state batteries to appear within the next five years, with these vehicles likely to be closer to technology demonstrators or high-performance models than to mass-market cars. This view partly aligns with timelines announced by other companies; QuantumScape expects its batteries to be used in high-performance vehicles by the end of the decade.
So far, a limited number of experimental models have appeared, including a Ducati motorcycle equipped with QuantumScape cells and a Mercedes vehicle using Factorial technology. However, none of these solutions has reached a production car with a solid-state battery that consumers can actually purchase.
Cost is the biggest obstacle
According to Harrer, the problem of raw-material costs will not disappear within five years. As production expands, these batteries will remain expensive for many years, limiting their use in the mass market even if their promises regarding range and charging are fulfilled.
This highlights the importance of distinguishing between the technology’s success in a prototype or limited-production vehicle and its ability to compete economically with lithium-ion batteries. Recent advances in conventional batteries, including Geely’s technology, which charges from 10% to 97% in less than nine minutes, have raised expectations before solid-state technology becomes commercially ready.
What does Hyundai want in practical terms?
Hyundai is developing solid-state batteries internally and in cooperation with partners such as Solid Power, while companies including Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, General Motors, Ford, Honda, and Nissan are investing in similar paths. The group wants to possess the core expertise and its own supply chain, which is why it is also investing in in-house battery manufacturing.
This approach is linked to the battery’s importance in the economics of an electric vehicle: it is the vehicle’s most expensive component and is also used in other electric vehicles. Hyundai plans to introduce internally manufactured nickel-manganese-cobalt cells in the extended-range electric Santa Fe, scheduled for launch at the beginning of next year according to the article.
The key takeaway is that Hyundai does not view solid-state technology as an imminent solution for mass-market cars, but rather as a long-term bet requiring the development of manufacturing expertise and a supply chain before the market matures. The open questions remain tied to raw-material costs, the feasibility of large-scale production, and whether the range and charging gains will justify the price difference when the technology is introduced beyond limited-production vehicles.