Tesla Club Sweden

Samsung unveils solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Highlights:

Cycle life: 95 % SoH after 600 cycles and 89 % SoH after 1.000 cyclesVolumetric energy density: 942 Wh/L with potential to surpass 1.000 Wh/L

SoH (State of Health) is used to measure battery capacity retention.

With this kind of volumetric energy density the BMW i3, which currently uses NCM 622 battery cells from Samsung SDI, could get a 89,9 kWh battery and an approximate WLTP range of 660 km. It would still have a range of 627 km after 386.100 km [(660 + 627) / 2 x 600] and 587 km after 623.700 km [(660 + 587,4) / 2 x 1.000].

Instead of the smaller 18650 cells used in Model S and Model X, the new 21700 Li-ion cell is used in the Model 3. The 21700 (Figure 1) has a diameter of 21mm and length of 70mm (this type number says nothing about performance or chemistry, by the way). Tesla calls it their 21-70 battery. The 21-70 cell volume is 24.245mm³. That’s 46% more than the 18650 cells. They are also about 15% more 'energy efficient,' according to a statement by J. B. Straubel, Tesla’s chief technology officer. Energy density is thought to be 877.5Wh/L and cell capacity is 21.275Wh.

During their EV Day, General Motors actually let guests have glimpses of just that.
Although GM did not mention it in the press release, Navigant Research engineer and Forbes contributor Sam Abuelsamid wrote “We were also shown a lithium metal test cell that should eventually double the energy density.”