This CEO says we’re inches from seeing solid-state batteries on EVs

Fisker, Inc., formerly known as Fisker Automotive before it went bankrupt, is an all-electric vehicle (EV) company known for its sports car-looking EVs. It’s relatively younger compared to Tesla but, based on a report on The Verge’s website, it appears like the startup is now only inches away from achieving solid-state batteries first in the market. 

Solid-state batteries are regarded as the future of EVs, as they are known for having the capability to store higher energy densities due to its tolerance to higher temperature. On the safety note, because it doesn’t use any liquid, it’s not flammable unlike conventional batteries and is much faster to recharge. As ancient astronaut theorists may suggest, we’re off to re-discovering long-existing alien technology again – through a guy named Fisker to be specific.

Well, on a much realistic standpoint, however, it’s kind of like reminds us of the movie Knight and Day, where Tom Cruise fought his life for one Tamiya motor-size perpetual energy battery that could power an entire city for years. Who knows? Maybe in 20 or more years, after Fisker develops its first solid-state battery, we could get that. So, that’s going to be...for-God-knows-how-long? 

Going back to Fisker, Inc.’s case, The Verge reports that Mr. Fisker claims he and his company is now only months away from developing an EV-usable solid-state battery for its cars. Considering that the company is just rising from bankruptcy, it could be that this claim is intended to lure some fishes close again. A publicity stunt, safe to say. Tesla’s guilty of it, too. We can see Elon Musk’s face everywhere; from a car that could go from zero to a hundred in under two seconds, or a car with rocket thrusters, to even a full-scale rocket that could land itself back to earth without crashing. 

Solid-state batteries have unsuccessfully made it out of the development lab – so far. They are made to look like the thin layers you’d find on solar panels, which is why they are called ‘thin-film.’ Aside from the development currently being too expensive, most promising products of these so-called high-performance batteries still struggle to produce the desired amount of power. 

So, to solidify this solid-state battery claim, Fisker illustrated how the battery would look like. According to the CEO, the ones that would power EVs would come in a layered version of the thin films, which is more than 25 times more surface area. If a single strip of the solid-state battery could power, let’s say, a smartphone for a week in single charging, multiply that capacity to 25 and you get yourself months of not needing to charge your phone. 

It could be that Fisker may really be onto something far greater than its rivals are expecting from him. But, at this point in time, everyone’s left with a skeptic grin. The more entertaining side of this story, though, is how Tesla’s taking the matter. According to The Verge, Tesla’s Musk gave a bold reaction statement regarding Fisker’s claim. 

We quote, “Everything works on PowerPoint. I could give you a PowerPoint presentation about teleportation to the Andromeda Galaxy. That doesn’t mean it works.” You might want to get some popcorn and sit with us on this; this is going to be interesting. 

Source: The Verge