Automotive supplier Bosh announced a new solid-state lithium-ion (Li-ion) polymer battery technology for use in electric vehicles that it says may double driving range. Dr. Volkmar Denner, the chairman of Robert Bosch GmbH says the firm hopes to have the first batteries with this new design on the market by 2020. Roughly 75 percent smaller and significantly lighter than current Li-ion packs, Bosch notes that beyond doubling the energy density these new solid state cells also will handily exceed the stated industry goal of reducing the price by half during that same time period.
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Unlike conventional Li-ion battery designs that utilize a graphite anode, the Bosch solid state design relies on a pure lithium alternative with greater storage density. Employing additional technology facilitated by its recent acquisition of California-based Seeo, Inc, the Bosch cells also function without the presence of any internal ionic fluid, a factor that eliminates the potential for fires and ensures the kind of durability necessary for demanding automotive applications. Denner calls the solid state technology "a huge innovative leap in battery cell construction." Bosch currently projects that by 2025 nearly 15 percent of all new cars built worldwide will have some sort of hybrid powertrain and that nearly a third manufactured in Europe will be either EVs or plug-in hybrids.
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