QuantumScape solid-state batteries impress Volkswagen after 1000 charging cycles

Solid-state batteries are widely seen as one of the most promising technologies on the table for the future of electric cars: they do not suffer from memory effect, they support ultra-fast charging, and they offer a far higher energy density than lithium-ion packs. In practical terms, for the same capacity they weigh much less and take up less space.

Among the companies putting the most money and effort into this area is the US firm QuantumScape. Around three and a half years ago, Volkswagen Group invested more than 180 million euros in the company once again - and the German group has been backing it since 2012.

Why solid-state batteries could change electric cars

To evaluate how QuantumScape’s solid-state cells perform in real-world conditions, PowerCo’s laboratories - PowerCo is part of Volkswagen Group - have been running tests over recent months. The first findings have now been made public, and they look highly encouraging.

According to Frank Blome, PowerCo’s Chief Executive Officer, “these results are very encouraging and impressively underline the potential of solid-state cells. The end result of this development could be a battery cell capable of delivering greater range, very fast charging, and that practically does not age.”

Blome adds: “(…) we will continue working with QuantumScape at full speed, so that these cells can begin to be produced in series.”

“These very encouraging test results are a milestone on the path to series production of the solid-state cell.”

Frank Blome, CEO of PowerCo

QuantumScape likewise says solid-state batteries are ready to reshape electric vehicles, noting that its cells “significantly exceeded performance requirements” in the tests carried out by Volkswagen.

Solid-state battery test results

Among the newly shared figures is the fact that the solid-state battery test prototype went through more than 1000 charging cycles, with almost no impact on performance.

Once testing was completed, the cells still retained around 95% of their original energy storage capacity. The original target had been set at 700 cycles and up to 20% capacity loss.

In other words, for an electric car advertised with a range between 500 km and 600 km (WLTP combined cycle), this would equate to a total of more than half a million kilometres (500 000 km).

QuantumScape says the results produced over recent months in Volkswagen’s PowerCo labs “demonstrate the performance potential of solid-state batteries compared with traditional lithium-ion batteries and other next-generation batteries currently in development”.

Volkswagen and QuantumScape: the road to series production

Even so, a finished, production-ready version is still a long way off, although QuantumScape and Volkswagen say they are working together to get this solution to market as quickly as possible.

The initial plan had pointed to production starting in 2025, but Volkswagen stresses that the “next step to reach series production is to refine and scale the production processes”. In other words, we are still a few years away from seeing this solid-state battery manufactured at mass scale.

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