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Solid-State Battery Breakthrough Allows Adding 300 Miles in 18 Minutes of Charging

Solid-state batteries are believed to be the next best thing on the road to electrification. The technology promises to offer an increased range, improved charge times, and, above all, safety. The problem is that at this stage at least, solid-state batteries are all show, no go. Mullen, a California-based EV startup that has joined the race to develop automotive solid-state batteries, thinks it has found a way to shorten the gap to commercial solid-state batteries.
Mullen announced 600+ miles solid state battery 11 photos
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There’s still a lot of development to be done until the engineers will solve problems like the reduced life span of a solid-state battery. Several companies race to be the first on the market with a solid-state battery suitable for automotive applications. Although they all claim to be “quite close” to breaking the ice on this promising technology, the results are yet to be seen in any commercial application.

Mullen, who recently unveiled their first electric crossover called “Five,” announced that it is testing a solid-state battery with impressive results. These include a range of more than 600 miles (966 km) on a full charge for a 150-kW battery pack and DC fast charging capabilities able to top up 300 miles (483 km) of range in 18 minutes. The new solid-state battery that Mullen is working on is using a polymer technology, which they claim is a significant step-up over today’s current lithium-ion batteries.

We’ve conducted successful testing and will begin pack level development next,” said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive. “To sum up, we tested our 300 Ah (ampere-hour) cell which yielded 343 Ah at 4.3 volts, and the results surpassed all expectations. We can say with almost certainty that this technology, once implemented on the Mullen Five, will deliver over 600 miles of range on a full charge”.

Although this sounds quite promising, it is worth pointing out that Mullen will produce their first-generation Five crossovers using the old Li-Ion technology. Mullen Five is projected to launch on the market in 2024, so we’ll still have a lot of time before we will see the first commercial application of the solid-state batteries developed by the company. In fact, the startup only expects to conduct the first in-vehicle prototype testing in 2025.

Mullen also let us know it’s not putting all its eggs in one basket. Apart from solid-state polymer cells, the company also works on other technologies, including lithium-sulfur and lithium-iron-phosphate. We’re anxious to see where this research will lead in the following years. The end goal is to find the best compromise between efficiency, energy density, costs, and risks.

The Mullen Five was introduced last year during Los Angeles Auto Show with promising specifications and a not-so-shy starting price of $55,000. The 95-kWh battery allows for an estimated range of 325 miles (523 km), almost half of what the new solid-state polymer battery promises to offer, if successful.
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About the author: Cristian Agatie
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After his childhood dream of becoming a "tractor operator" didn't pan out, Cristian turned to journalism, first in print and later moving to online media. His top interests are electric vehicles and new energy solutions.
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