BMW, Solid Power & Samsung Join Up to Develop EV Batteries

Since 2022, the BMW Group and Solid Power have been collaborating to expedite the development of all-solid-state battery (ASSB) technology as part of a technology transfer agreement.

The pair has, as of this month, become a trio, with Samsung SDI joining to help with the validation and development of the ASSB tech in the automotive sector.

To date, the latest milestone is the integration of Solid Power’s large-format pure ASSB cells into a BMW i7 technology test vehicle.

A solid state journey

Under the new agreement, Solid Power is set to supply sulphide-based solid electrolyte to Samsung SDI.

After receiving the electrolytes, Samsung SDI aims to integrate these into the separator and/or the catholyte and use this to build cells – each case is subject to achievement of technical requirements. 

Once the cells have been created, they will be evaluated based on performance parameters and requirements to be agreed between Samsung SDI and BMW. 

“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.”

The overall aim is to integrate ASSB cells into a next generation of evaluation vehicles.

Partnering for ASSB tech 

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.

As energy density increases, so can longer vehicle range, with the possibility of disregarding potential disadvantages when it comes to storage system weight.

"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."

Partnering for a decade

BMW and Solid Power have been cooperating since 2016 via an extended “Joint Development Agreement”, supporting 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 and since 2019, this has been pooled at BMW’s Battery Cell Competence Center (BCCC) in Munich.

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.

BMW writes, “this strategically strong position in the value chain ensures the BMW Group access to all new and innovative battery cell research solutions worldwide.”