Volkswagen Group solid-state EV batteries still a decade away

Faster-charging, more energy-dense and more durable solid-state electric vehicle batteries are still a long way off from production reality for the Volkswagen Group, says Audi Sport’s technical chief.

Speaking to carsales at this week’s international launch of the upcoming new Audi RS 3, Audi Sport head of technical development Steffen Bamberger revealed that the next-generation battery tech will arrive much later than previously expected from Europe’s biggest car-maker.

Bamberger said solid-state batteries will not be available for EVs from Audi Sport until the “late 2020s” at the earliest.

Late last year Volkswagen said it hoped to introduce solid-state battery tech as soon as 2024 and lead the industry in the field following a sizeable investment in a Californian-based start-up.

In September this year Toyota reported it was on-track to introduce its first solid-state battery-powered vehicle in 2025, after testing prototypes with the technology on public roads since 2020.

And in May this year BMW and Ford teamed up on solid-state battery tech to remain competitive with Toyota and Volkswagen.

Tipped to offer 50 per cent more energy density than current technology, solid-state battery cells can be recharged to 80 per cent of capacity in 15 minutes and are said to be 99 per cent recyclable.

Potentially delivering up to 1000km of range in a wide variety of vehicles, they have long been touted as the key to a large-scale switch from combustion to electric vehicles.

According to the senior Audi executive, low-volume car-makers associated with the VW Group will continue to spearhead the introduction of pioneering solid-state EVs.

Bamberger said that with low production runs of less than 200 vehicles, it was easier for companies like Bugatti-Rimac to “maintain control” and “keep track” of vehicles with solid-state batteries.

This is not possible for high-volume car-makers like Volkswagen and Audi, said Bamberger, suggesting that extensive development work is still required before the ground-breaking battery tech is ready for mass-market consumption.

In the meantime, Bamberger said other pioneering advances in battery tech will slash charging times for new models from the Volkswagen Group in order to remain competitive and meet growing demand for EVs.