estimates, predictions, models, projections. In other words: vaporware.
This battery “announcement” is for a battery that doesn’t even exist. Because if it was a real battery, they would have real data on it. They would have real examples of recharge times from real battery chargers, hot and cold degradation, number of recharge cycles and the degradation curve. But they don’t.
I put this in the monthly battery breakthrough folder. Battery technology breakthroughs are announced nearly every month, except the don’t happen.
With full deference to the “I’ve heard this old yarn before” sentiment, I have a couple of points:
(1) This isn’t coming from a startup operation off a grad student’s research project: it’s Samsung. They obviously believe in what they’re doing and have the resources to push this across the finish line. Whether that line is a profitable point is what remains to be seen.
(2) My expectation is that their announcement is coming now simply because now that samples are being passed around, they can’t really hide what they’re doing any longer. Investors would want to know what they’re doing, too.
(3) While on that point: Samsung is a publicly traded company, so they really can’t make outlandish claims that can’t be backed up (or at least approached).
I find this intriguing, too, but with my own questions:
(a) Can they provide a 600-mile solution without exacerbating the weight issues with existing EV battery tech?
(b) Can they show that their SS batteries avoid the fire hazard inherent to the non-SS tech employed today? (that’s supposed to be true for solid state solutions)
(c) I agree with you: weather considerations are going to be big.
(d) The discussion about a ‘20 year life’ _should_ be the result of recharge cycle estimations... but yes, real world scenarios need to be checked out.
(e) The cost increase may be a factor, but I’d do the math to balance that against the convenience of never having to find and use a gas station again. Also, a vehicle with such a battery system might actually be relevant on the used car market... I wouldn’t touch a used EV today under any circumstances.
If all those boxes are checked... then they really do have something big: heck, while charging from your house is obviously the most convenient way to go, a 500+ mile range should be good enough for 98% of most people’s driving needs. Even on the road, a ~10 minute recharge is fine.
Heck, I have no vehicle with a range longer than 400 miles and beyond the 5 minute gas fill-up, I usually add 5+ minutes to find a gas station (not that it would be easier to find a charging station, but all that to say “it’s comparable”. Even at a 20% degradation off the 600 mile claim, that still beats everything I have today with ICE power.
In other words... if Samsung meets or comes close to those claims... I’d have to consider it.