Hyundai and Kia Partner With Factorial Energy on Solid-State Batteries
Carlos Kirby
· 4 min read
The battery is one of the most important parts of an
electric vehicle
(EV). The quality of the battery affects the range you can drive the car on a charge. If the range of an EV isn't good enough, that is going to deter people from possibly making the jump from gas-powered cars to electric. As the EV market becomes more mature, battery technology is getting better and making that less of an obstacle for drivers. Lithium-ion batteries have been widely used in EVs to date, but solid-state batteries may be the future of the technology.
A Massachusetts startup thinks its solid-state technology can dramatically increase the range of EVs. Hyundai and Kia are teaming up with the company to see if solid-state batteries are as good as the company says they are.
Hyundai and Kia’s range of electric vehicles could increase by 50%
As
Auto Blog
reports, Factorial Energy claims to be developing battery technology that will increase the range of EVs by as much as 50%. Its Factorial Electrolyte System Technology (FEST) relies on a proprietary electrolyte to create cells that have high-voltage and high-capacity electrodes. Factorial emerged from "stealth mode" earlier this year by introducing "a 40 Amp-hour solid-state battery cell" that can work at room temperature. The startup claims that its battery technology has several advantages over its competition.
Perhaps most important to drivers is the increased range for electric vehicles. According to Factorial, its technology can extend the driving range by 20% to 50%.
Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
No spam · No long forms · No fees
Companies working on solid-state batteries
MORE: BMW Invests In Solid-State Batteries for Electric Cars
Factorial has partnered with two major auto groups to help develop solid-state batteries to improve performance over existing lithium-ion batteries. Hyundai and Kia are jointly testing and developing Factorial's FEST batteries to be used in future vehicles developed by the Hyundai Group.
As part of the agreement, Hyundai is making a "strategic investment" in Factorial. The automakers are working with the battery company on all steps of battery integration, "from the cell to manufacturing and integration into OEM vehicles."
There's no timeline for when the new batteries will be in retail vehicles, but the companies may be able to look to competitors to help with the process. Toyota and BMW have heavily invested in trying to get solid-state batteries into the retail market before the end of this decade.
How does Factorial Energy relate to electric vehicles?
Factorial Energy isn't a well-known firm, so you may be wondering what exactly the company does. According to
Factorial's website
, the company is developing "transformational solid-state battery technology" to empower a sustainable future. Factorial's business plan includes creating "the highest performance and safest batteries" to be used in electric vehicles, homes, and other critical applications. Factorial has been investing in developing the technology for the last six years and has come up with a process it says is "practical, customer-driven, and electrode agnostic."
Its research and development have led to "the world's first commercial-scale, balanced performance-profile solid-state cell." Factorial claims that its solid-state batteries come without the "fatal defects" that have plagued previous iterations of the technology.
When you buy an electric vehicle, you're making an investment that costs more than comparable models that use gas to power the vehicle. Electric vehicles can also be more desirable to car thieves, so you want to make sure your EV is covered in case something happens to it.
Jerry
can help you find the right insurance policy for your electric vehicle without having to spend a lot of money on it. You save on gas when you go electric, and getting cheap insurance adds to your overall savings. Whether it’s a Kia or a Hyundai, have your back covered with Jerry.
