Improving lithium sulfur batteries thanks to solid electrolytes

For the first time ever, EV sales have exceeded Diesel sales from Summer 2020 onwards. The electrification of transport is now becoming a reality thanks to enhanced performance and a 10 times reduction in battery cost compared to ten years ago.

Battery integration could be a solution among others, although further improvements are still mandatory.

To date, lithium-ion has been the technology of choice to power hybrid or full electric cars but there are still challenges such as safety, access to raw materials and range, specifically once the weight of the large battery pack start becoming an issue.

Therefore, to find an alternative to lithium ion it makes a lot of sense to secure the whole value chain and to propose technologies with enhanced performances. One could consider the lithium-sulfur battery, which have been demonstrated consolidated results last year at a relevant scale beyond the cell level and beyond the laboratory.

Among other initiatives, the previous ALISE project has demonstrated more lightweight technology, with similar and slightly improved range compared to Li-ion at the module level and following standard driving test for PHEV and EV, and validated safe to be used mechanically and electrically.

The LISA consortium aims to improve the lithium sulfur battery by converting the liquid electrolyte into a solid electrolyte, mostly to tackle the issues related to the thermal performance, fast charging and to reach higher cycle numbers of charge and discharge.

LISA project aims to achieve 400 Wh/kg and 700 Wh/L, where large companies such as Renault, and VDL work together and become the evaluators who integrate this technology not only in electric passenger cars, but either in electric cars and buses where the weight, safety and cost of current battery technology is still a concern.

See more information in our Youtube Channel