Photo: BMW Media
During the development over the years in engineering internal combustion engines, when automotive manufacturers wanted to squeeze more power or better mileage out of their power units, they simply did so through trial and error.
However, at the dawn of the electric vehicle age, many car companies around the world had and continue to have several 'uh-oh' moments that revolve around the motors that power electric vehicles. That power comes from their batteries and battery technology has never been the focus of any other automobile company until Tesla arrived on the scene.
Until it dawned on companies that, in fact, there is a consumer appetite for electric vehicles, their only concern in terms of batteries was outfitting their automobiles with 12-volt units with sufficient cranking power to start their cars. That was it.
As a result of their lack of battery technology behind those two-terminal 12-volt wonders, automobile companies are continuing to form alliances with those out there that do have some battery savvy and expertise. They realize such partnerships shorten the learning curve, saving time and money.
The latest news comes from an agreement between Munich, Germany-based BMW, and Colorado-based battery technology company Solid Power, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement reported by Reuters, Solid Power will license intellectual property rights that will allow the luxury automaker to manufacture battery cells at its German facilities.
The IP to be licensed to BMW to the tune of $20 million through June of 2024, subject to certain conditions which were not disclosed, will be limited to Solid Power's battery cell design and manufacturing processes. Solid Power will not license IP rights related to its electrolyte material and will act as a supplier of such material once BMW production lines are operational.
The agreement is not the first between the two companies, as there was a previous one in place for Solid Power to supply BMW with finished battery cells. It should be noted that BMW is an investor in Solid Power, which went public in December of 2022.
This arrangement is a bit different than the ones that autoevolution has reported on in the recent past in that it does not include any degree of technology involving lithium-ion battery production.
Solid Power's technology utilizes a solid electrolyte versus a liquid electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries that currently dominate the market. The solid material is less prone to overheating and catching fire.
More specifically, the company's technology not only removes the flammable liquid electrolyte but also replaces the polymer layer in a lithium-ion battery with a thin solid layer of material that eliminates the possibility of the anodes and cathodes from touching one another. The layer not only protects from battery shortages but also acts as a conductive electrolyte.
Until it dawned on companies that, in fact, there is a consumer appetite for electric vehicles, their only concern in terms of batteries was outfitting their automobiles with 12-volt units with sufficient cranking power to start their cars. That was it.
As a result of their lack of battery technology behind those two-terminal 12-volt wonders, automobile companies are continuing to form alliances with those out there that do have some battery savvy and expertise. They realize such partnerships shorten the learning curve, saving time and money.
The latest news comes from an agreement between Munich, Germany-based BMW, and Colorado-based battery technology company Solid Power, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement reported by Reuters, Solid Power will license intellectual property rights that will allow the luxury automaker to manufacture battery cells at its German facilities.
The IP to be licensed to BMW to the tune of $20 million through June of 2024, subject to certain conditions which were not disclosed, will be limited to Solid Power's battery cell design and manufacturing processes. Solid Power will not license IP rights related to its electrolyte material and will act as a supplier of such material once BMW production lines are operational.
The agreement is not the first between the two companies, as there was a previous one in place for Solid Power to supply BMW with finished battery cells. It should be noted that BMW is an investor in Solid Power, which went public in December of 2022.
This arrangement is a bit different than the ones that autoevolution has reported on in the recent past in that it does not include any degree of technology involving lithium-ion battery production.
Solid Power's technology utilizes a solid electrolyte versus a liquid electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries that currently dominate the market. The solid material is less prone to overheating and catching fire.
More specifically, the company's technology not only removes the flammable liquid electrolyte but also replaces the polymer layer in a lithium-ion battery with a thin solid layer of material that eliminates the possibility of the anodes and cathodes from touching one another. The layer not only protects from battery shortages but also acts as a conductive electrolyte.
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