BMW, Solid Power & Samsung SDI's Solid State Battery Tech

A strategic alliance between BMW Group, Solid Power and Samsung SDI could mark an important development in the development of all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology for the automotive sector.

What began as a two-way collaboration in 2022 has evolved into a three-party partnership, with Samsung SDI's addition strengthening the collective effort to advance ASSB technology through a technology transfer agreement.

Solid Power's large-format pure ASSB cells have already been successfully integrated into a BMW i7 technology test vehicle.

Strategic electrolyte supply agreement

The expanded partnership centres on Solid Power's role as a supplier of sulphide-based solid electrolyte to Samsung SDI.

Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung SDI aims to integrate these electrolytes into the separator and/or the catholyte for cell construction, with each case subject to achievement of technical requirements.

Following production, the cells will undergo evaluation against performance parameters and requirements to be agreed between Samsung SDI and BMW.

The ultimate objective is to integrate ASSB cells into a next generation of evaluation vehicles, advancing the technology towards commercial viability.

“We are excited to partner with Samsung SDI and BMW to progress the development of all-solid-state batteries,” says John Van Scoter, President and CEO of Solid Power. 

“Our solid electrolyte technology is designed for stability and conductivity and by working closely with global leaders in automotive and battery innovation, we strive to bring ASSB technology closer to widespread adoption.”

Advancing automotive batteries

The collaboration is changing the game of the automotive sector, especially since “the partners believe in the potential of genuine ASSB technology and the promise of higher energy density combined with increased safety compared to today’s technologies by replacing liquid electrolytes with solid materials”, according to BMW in its press release.

Higher energy density enables longer vehicle range whilst potentially addressing concerns around storage system weight.

The partnership brings together expertise from across the battery value chain, combining Solid Power's electrolyte technology with Samsung SDI's cell manufacturing capabilities and BMW's automotive integration knowledge.

"Technological competitiveness in batteries would ultimately lead to innovation in electric vehicles," says Stella Joo-Young Go, Executive Vice President of ASSB Commercialisation Team at Samsung SDI. 

"Samsung SDI will work closely with great global partners like BMW and Solid Power to take the lead in commercialising ASSB."

Building on long-term cooperation

The relationship between BMW and Solid Power extends back to 2016 through an extended Joint Development Agreement, which supported BMW's investment in Solid Power in May 2021 as part of its financing round.

At the end of 2022, BMW and Solid Power agreed to further deepen their partnership, allowing BMW to operate a solid-state cell prototype line at CMCC in Parsdorf on the basis of a research and development licence and with Solid Power's experience and expertise.

Since 2008, BMW has been building up competence in the battery cell technology field, with efforts pooled at BMW's Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC) in Munich since 2019.

To date, BMW cooperates with more than 300 partners, including Samsung SDI and Solid Power.

“With Samsung SDI joining our partnership with Solid Power, we gain significant momentum on our path advancing the development of new battery cell technologies,” says Martin Schuster, Vice President Battery Cell and Cell Module at the BMW Group.

“This global collaboration is another proof point of our overarching goal: to be always in a position to offer our customers state of the art battery technology.”

BMW’s BCCC covers its entire value chain, from research and development to battery cell design and producibility.