In December 2020, the Advanced Technology for Industry (ATI) project published its Product Watch about Solid-state-lithium-ion-batteries (SSB) for electric vehicles. The report aims to define the key actors in the field of SSB for electric vehicles and analyse the positioning of the European Union (EU) in this market.
To achieve and promote green mobility, solid-state-lithium-ion batteries are a promising technology in terms of security and performance. The report provides a value chain analysis for SSBs comprising of Research & Development, Materials & Components, Cells & Battery Packs Manufacturing and System Integration & Application. This analysis shows that there are still important efforts required for the uptake of SSBs.
Regarding the global positioning on the market, the report highlights that leading countries, in terms of electric vehicles batteries, are China, Japan and Korea. Within the EU, the leading countries in the SSB market are France and Germany. As a comparison, in 2018 Japan registered 250 patents for SSBs, compared to less than 50 for Germany. However, the EU is better positioned in terms of system integration for SSBs because original equipment manufacturers – companies manufacturing and selling products or parts of products to a buyer – and their suppliers are focusing on module manufacturing and integration into vehicles.
In addition, the report provides readers with an analysis of the strengths, challenges, opportunities and risks for entering the EU market on SSB. Examples of risks are the dependence on the Asian market for batteries, and the sourcing of the materials. One of the challenges of entering this market in Europe is the culture, which has a different start-up mindset than other countries. However, the EU benefits from collaboration, knowledge and skills along with a political push for green mobility. This can unlock further opportunities in the market, such as the potential to improve the recycling of SSBs, creating a competitive advantage for the EU.
For more information, consult the report. Learn more about the ATI project.