How Porsche's Upcoming Battery Tech Will Revolutionize EVs

Jun 05, 2023

Solid-state batteries are still a long way from production, but Porsche is set to continue improving lithium-based batteries.

Porsche's electrification efforts have been well received. The Taycan is one of the best electric vehicles you can buy especially in terms of the driving experience. At the same time, its J1 platform that Porsche also provided to Audi for the e-tron GT is highly capable when it comes to both charging through its 800-volt architecture whilst offering decent (but not class-leading) range. Safe to say, Porsche's first attempt at making an EV has been quite successful. It's one of the vehicles that gave EVs a fun and dynamic image, and in the next few years, we can expect even more great things out of Porsche's electrification efforts.

Related: Here's What We Know About Porsche's Future EV Lineup

Since gasoline stations still outnumber charging stations and thus are also far from each other, range anxiety is a phenomenon that's all too real. That's set to change in the coming years as Porsche sees more improvements to be made with lithium-ion batteries in partnership with Cellforce Group and Group14 Technologies. Lithium-ion batteries are a multi-component system, which means that while these batteries are mostly able to meet today's range, charging, and safety requirements, simply altering some of the other ingredients can see significant performance improvements.

The anode, for example, is currently made out of graphite, but silicon is being studied as another alternative. By using silicon, the total capacity of the lithium-ion battery is increased. In fact, Dr. Stefanie Edelberg, Specialist Engineer Battery Cell at Porsche Engineering, says: "Silicon is of particular interest because it exhibits the second-highest storage capacity in terms of weight after lithium, which allows for cells with very high energy densities. What's more, it is the second most common element in the earth's crust."

So if using silicon for the anode is so beneficial, why isn't it implemented in batteries yet? Well, the problem lies when silicon absorbs lithium, which can increase the particle size by 300-percent. This will result in mechanical stress on the material and the electrode, thus reducing the battery's service life. Therefore, the main goal here is for the anodes to use a high proportion of silicon--with a target of up to 80 percent, and this is what Cellforce Group is currently working on with Porsche.

Related: What Nobody Is Telling You About Solid-State Batteries

Apart from silicon in the anode, another technology that's helping improve battery packaging is what's called "cell-to-pack" technology. According to Prof. Maximilian Fichtner, Director of the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) and Head of the Energy Storage Systems research unit at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), integrates the cells right into the battery pack itself, which eliminates "small-scale parts in current batteries". Traditionally, chocolate-bar-sized cells are connected individually, but with the cell-to-pack method, cells that measure up to 1.20 meters (3.94 feet) in length are now tightly packed, thus allowing for more storage and better cooling in a smaller or denser package. As a result of all these medium-term innovations from the silicon anode to the dense packaging of battery cells, Fichtner says that we can expect future Porsches to have a range of 1,300 km (807.78 miles) or increases in range of around 30 to 50 percent.

Related: 10 Electric Vehicles That Need Solid-State Batteries ASAP!

While having a long range will be a huge boon for EV buyers, speeding up charging to be as fast as filling up with gas will also be beneficial. Markus Gräf, Chief Operating Officer of the Cellforce Group says using silicon as an anode can also speed up charging from 10 to 80 percent in less than 15 minutes versus the current Taycan's 800-volt architecture that's capable of doing the same feat in 22.5 minutes. In addition, using a higher proportion of nickel for the cathode enables higher charging capacities. But what's the point of having a battery that can accept a high amount of power if the charger can't keep up, right? Porsche's future EV architecture will be able to accommodate more than 500 kW of DC fast charging versus the Taycan's already fast 270 kW DC. For the charger to handle such power, charging stations will need active cooling in the future so that all 500 kW of power can be efficiently and continuously delivered to the battery.

Related: Will Solid-State Batteries Make Tesla's EV Batteries Redundant?

Unsurprisingly, like all other EV manufacturers, Porsche considers the solid-state battery to be the holy grail in energy storage. Porsche's goals with the solid-state battery tech are similar to everyone else--make it more compact than today's lithium-ion batteries whilst being safer and more energy dense. Solid-state batteries do not use a liquid electrolyte solution. Instead, it uses a solid supporting electrolyte which is the main reason for its high hopes for being a safer form of battery technology. "The plan for solid cells is that the classic separator will be completely replaced by a thin layer of solid electrolytes," explains Edelberg. "The solid electrolyte is then both electrolyte and separator in one."

Related: 10 Ways Solid State Batteries Will Change EVs Forever

To the surprise of no one, solid-state battery development is still far from reaching mass production status, so what can we expect from Porsche's EVs a couple of years from now? The promises of increased range and shorter charging times with the use of lithium-silicon batteries are impressive, which is a technology whose research and development stage is nearer its end goal.

In reality, EV technology is still generally in its infancy. While we've made strides in terms of charging and range with today's lithium-ion battery tech, the room for innovation is still plentiful. Apart from Porsche, BMW is also hard at work with Solid Power in developing solid-state batteries. In fact, 20 Ah cells have already been delivered to BMW for initial testing, which brings the tech a step closer to mass production. For reference, Solid Power is developing three kinds of solid-state batteries: Silicon EV Cell, Lithium-Metal EV Cell, and Conversion Reaction Cell. Whichever company wins the battery technology race is a win for the automotive industry as a whole. A huge leap in battery tech means that we are one step closer to making EVs a true replacement for the internal combustion engine (ICE) which is already near its technological peak.

Isaac Atienza is a Filipino motoring journalist who joined TopSpeed.com in 2021. He also owns a Filpino motoring website called Go Flat Out PH and is also a contributor to a local newspaper called The Manila Times. Isaac Atienza is a car enthusiast who especially thinks that wagons are the best type of vehicle, though sports cars and anything with three pedals also tickles his fancy.