Solid-state (Thin Film) Batteries

[vfx]

http://www.economist.com/node/18007516

What Planar has come up with is a ceramic electrolyte which it says works as well as a gel. It can print this electrolyte (along with the battery’s electrodes) onto a sheet of metal or plastic that passes from one reel to another in a process similar to that used in a traditional printing press. Nor does it have to be done in a vacuum. Once printed, the reels can be cut up into individual cells and wired together to make battery packs.

[TEG]

Printing a roll has been one of the selling points as to why thin film solar is better to manufacture too...
http://solarpower.e-bookz.info/?p=155

...The process is similar to printing a newspaper. It is as follows:
* Large aluminum foil rolls run through a press similar to that of a newspaper.
* A printer allows a thin layer of semiconducting ink remains.
...

[Iz]

Thanks for posting. Battery range/recharge time/cycles/cost are the holy grail of EV acceptance.

Planar says its cells will be more reliable than conventional lithium-ion cells, will be able to store two to three times more energy in the same weight and will last for tens of thousands of recharging cycles. They could also be made for a third of the cost.

If the same can be applied to Lithium-Air then most of us (assuming a good-sized battery pack) would only charge ~ once/month.

[Norbert]

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/25825/page1/ reported about the solid electrolyte in July 2010, at which point Planar Energy said they would open the pilot production line "next year". So if they now say they are about to complete it, it seems they are well on track with their time table. Good to hear. Apparently many of the various battery research projects are making good progress.

[ramon]

Planar is apparently a dead end. For something ready to go , a German company called DBM-Energy, created by
Mirko Hanemann has created a new type of li ion battery that the German federal government labs have tested and
found to be safe and very long lasting (claimed 28 years of use). It is also said to be rechargeable in 6 minutes and
is lighter than any other li ion type and cheaper to make (one claim, which I can hardly believe, is that a 350 mile battery pack
would cost $1400).

[Norbert]

German company called DBM-Energy

We've been discussing DBM in other threads. Do a search.

[Iz]

ramon, here is the link: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showt...highlight=audi

The $1400 cost is information I did not see before. If true, that will lower the cost of EVs substantially.

[Norbert]

ramon, here is the link: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showt...highlight=audi

The $1400 cost is information I did not see before. If true, that will lower the cost of EVs substantially.

This was also discussed in the thread you reference (not sure about the exact amount, though, but it was certainly too low to not require substantial information about what this number refers to, in order to be believable. This information was missing.)

I'm not aware of any information about why planar would be a "dead end" (and at this very point not expecting any).

[Iz]

This was also discussed in the thread you reference (not sure about the exact amount, though, but it was certainly too low to not require substantial information about what this number refers to, in order to be believable.

You are correct Norbert. I must have seen it when first posted but it did not register. For a 350-mile pack the $1400 cost would be a pivotal change. We also have to keep in mind that at the current $20-30k/pack, someone is realizing those earnings.

[Eberhard]

just having the cells for a low price is only one part of the story. you have to transform it into a working pack with batterie management, active balancing and cooling. cells of the type 18650 can you get in bulknumbers for less of 20cent, means the 6831 cells have a value of only 1400usd too. but the value of the whole pack is much higher and the profit for tesla