As the transition to electrified vehicles continues to move forward, one goal is solid-state battery technology. Now, Mullen Automotive, another EV startup aiming to bring luxury electric vehicles to the market, says that they’ve made serious progress. The first generation 2024 Mullen FIVE EV is going to use a traditional lithium-ion battery pack but the brand wants to use solid-state technology for the second generation. Right now, testing has just been at the cell level but they’re about to ramp things up with pack testing.
David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen
Automotive, said: “The test data collected shows an impressive outcome and
future for solid-state batteries. 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. The future is bright for Mullen Automotive.”
Solid-state battery technology could be a
huge benefit to the entire EV market. Such batteries offer the promise of more
range, faster charging, and possibly even less weight depending on the size of
the pack. All of those features would be very beneficial to any electric
vehicle. Just saving weight without sacrificing range could be huge. Saving
weight can immediately improve a vehicle’s dynamics in all areas including
acceleration, braking, and handling. In fact, one of the biggest constraining
factors with regard to performance-oriented battery-electric vehicles right now
is how heavy they are.
For example, the Tesla Model S Plaid is
basically the fastest accelerating production car in the market. However, as
one of the best performers with regard to range, Tesla might take note of this
Mullen announcement. Mullen says that in testing, they’ve found ” the potential
for a 150-kilowatt-hour battery pack that delivers over 600-plus miles of range
and highlights an 18-minute DC fast charge which can yield over 300 miles of
range.” The Tesla Model S features a 99kWh battery and a maximum of 375 miles
of range. If the Mullen FIVE ever comes to market with a real solid-state
battery, it would be a big step forward.
