Better & cheaper

Europa battery increases e-car range enormously

Researchers from Europe claim to have achieved a breakthrough in batteries for electric cars. The prototype, which was developed in Belgium, promises a significantly higher energy density and therefore a greater range - at lower production costs.

A new lithium-metal battery, in the development of which the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) was also involved, could greatly improve the range of electric cars. The prototype, which was manufactured in Belgium, offers 1070 Wh/L - a clear advantage over the 800 Wh/L of today's batteries.

The difference: in the new battery, the liquid electrolyte is replaced by solid material, which enables greater efficiency. This innovation could soon make conventional lithium-ion batteries superfluous and take electromobility to a new level.

The development was anything but easy: years of research as part of the EU "Solidify" project were necessary to find the right materials and technologies. The breakthrough finally came thanks to optimized coating techniques.

The new battery can be produced at room temperature and adapts to existing production lines. With an estimated cost of less than 150 euros per kilowatt hour, it is also financially attractive - a future technology that could soon be a reality.