Extended autonomy, instant recharge, infinite lifespan and manufacturing that respects environmental and social standards. Is this even possible? One thing is certain, it seems that it will take more than one recipe to produce the batteries of tomorrow’s electric vehicles.
In McMasterville, Swedish manufacturer Northvolt plans to manufacture batteries similar to those already coming out of its Northvolt Ett (“Northvolt Un”) factory in Skellefteå, Sweden. These are lithium batteries whose cathode is composed of nickel, manganese and cobalt. Northvolt’s exact recipe is called Lingonberry NMC. Word” lingonberry » translates into French as lingonberry. This little berry can be made into a jelly which is said to be a wonderful accompaniment to the legendary Swedish meatballs.
Already, Northvolt prides itself on producing the “most responsible” batteries, especially thanks to the fact that its factories are powered by renewable energy. By 2030, the company promises to incorporate 50% recycled materials, extracted from end-of-life batteries, into its batteries.
NMC and LFP
These days, in the automotive industry, NMC batteries are being pitted against a similar technology called LFP which is more durable, but less efficient. It is composed of lithium, iron and phosphate. LFP batteries are less dense, meaning that, pound for pound, they produce less power. But they resist heat better.
Electric vehicle manufacturers seem to be increasingly leaning towards this formula: for more efficient vehicles, NMC batteries are more appropriate, while for more durable or more affordable vehicles, they are turning to LFP batteries.
But not all the time. For example, LG Chem, the subsidiary of Korean giant LG which is one of the largest suppliers of batteries to automobile manufacturers, manufactures NMC batteries to which it adds aluminum, which makes their assembly more affordable. For their part, Northvolt and Swedish truck manufacturer Scania unveiled a particularly durable nickel manganese cobalt battery earlier this year, which would be capable of running trucks for at least 1.5 million kilometers.
In fact, it is not yet clear how much NMC technology can be improved. Jeff Dahn, a pioneer in lithium-ion technology affiliated with Dalhousie University in Halifax, demonstrated this last spring. In front of other researchers, he presented a prototype battery called NMC 532 that he had been testing since 2017 by repeatedly charging and discharging it. Under the hood of an electric car, its battery would have made it possible to travel more than six million kilometers, losing only 5% of its initial performance over this period.
Lithium metal
Cuberg, an American company acquired by Northvolt in 2021, hopes to one day market batteries for electric planes. It relies on a different chemistry, laconically called “lithium metal”. A lithium metal battery replaces the anode of a lithium ion battery, which is generally made of graphite, with lithium in solid form.
Lithium metal technology is promising, but comes with its share of risks, such as very complex recharging. Cuberg says it has eliminated these risks and ensures that its batteries are, at equal density, between 40 and 70% more efficient than a traditional lithium battery. The company hopes to sell its first lithium metal batteries to the aviation sector from 2025. Its acquisition by Northvolt also allows it to open up to the automotive sector, since, according to Cuberg, the manufacturing process of its batteries is very similar to that of an NMC battery like those produced by its Swedish parent company.
Solid
Despite all this, the real revolution in electric transport could be found in solid electrolyte batteries, also called all-solid batteries. Most major automobile manufacturers plan to migrate to this technology between 2027 and 2030. In this sector, all-solid-state batteries are the Holy Grail: inexpensive to produce, they would also be more compact, lighter and more durable than traditional batteries. current.
For example, Toyota claimed this summer to have made a “major breakthrough” in this area, allowing it, if all goes as planned, to sell affordable electric vehicles capable of traveling 1,200 kilometers after just ten minutes of charging. All that remains is for the manufacturer to figure out how to assemble its future batteries at a pace comparable to that of a traditional battery factory. “We’re almost there,” assured Toyota.
BMW, Ford and Nissan are also on the verge of producing electric vehicles powered by such batteries. Nissan promises a first car on the road in 2028 and, the same year, batteries “up to 65% less expensive” than current batteries.
Obviously, you’ll have to see it to believe it, but the manufacturer thinks that it will be possible before the end of the decade to fill up with electrons like we currently fill up with gasoline, for comparable autonomy. If that happens, then we will have finally found the perfect battery for electric transportation.