Advert
A Mercedes-Benz EQS with a solid-state battery has covered 747 miles (1,205 km) on a single charge, with 85 miles (137 km) of range remaining.
The EQS test vehicle, featuring a lithium-metal solid-state battery, completed the journey from Stuttgart in Germany to Malmö in Sweden without a single charging stop.
The EQS surpassed the previous record set by the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX on its Stuttgart-Silverstone route by three kilometres, and arrived in Malmö with a remaining range of 137 km.
The drive from Stuttgart in Germany to Malmö in Sweden was part of a validation programme for solid-state battery technology at Mercedes-Benz. In addition to digital simulations and testing at state-of-the-art facilities, the vehicle and battery are being tested under real-world conditions on public roads. The goal is to assess overall vehicle performance across different climate zones and route profiles and accelerate the path to series production.
Mercedes-Benz says that the solid-state battery is a “true gamechanger for electric mobility and that the company’s goal is to bring innovations like this into series production by the end of the decade.”
The solid-state battery system was developed in close collaboration with Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), the Formula 1 technology centre of the Mercedes-Benz Group in Brixworth, UK. The lithium-metal cells used in the vehicle come from U.S.-based manufacturer Factorial Energy and are based on FEST technology (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology).
To support the cells during the volume changes typical of this technology and to ensure the necessary contact pressure on the cells, the solid-state battery is equipped with pneumatic actuators. These actuators respond to the changes in cell volume during charging and discharging, thereby ensuring the flawless operation of the battery over time. The usable energy content of the battery was increased by 25%, while the weight and size of the battery remain comparable to the standard EQS battery. Additional weight and energy efficiency is achieved through passive airflow cooling.
