BMW is putting large-format, all-solid-state battery (ASSB) cells to the test in Munich, Germany. The technology is being tested on its test vehicle, the BMW i7. This is the first time that the ASSB technology will hit the roads.

Solid-State Battery Testing

BMW with solid-state battery
BMW with solid-state battery technology; Photo: BMW Group

Potential benefits of ASSB technology include higher energy density in a compact system than current battery technology. BMW is one of the few automotive manufacturers with a working prototype with a solid-state battery. However, many auto companies have ongoing research projects to make solid-state technology commercially available.

Since 2022, the BMW Group and Solid Power, Inc., have amplified ASSB testing because of their technology transfer agreement. As a result, the enhanced testing has led to testing the BMW i7 with solid-state battery technology.

“Solid Power is extremely proud that our partnership with BMW has resulted in the first demonstration of truly all-solid-state battery cells in a vehicle,” said John Van Scoter, President and Chief Executive Officer of Solid Power. “We believe in the promise of ASSB’s and continue to drive innovation of our sulfide electrolyte in support of that future for EV’s.”

According to the press release, the BMW i7 test vehicle’s battery combines Gen5 construction principles (prismatic cells in modules) with new module concepts to integrate ASSB cells from Solid Power.

As Inside EVs notes, integrating current technology and future module concepts in the test vehicle proves that it’s strictly for testing. BMW’s Vice President of Battery Cell and Cell Module, Martin Schuster, previously stated that solid-state batteries aren’t needed in the company’s EVs until the 2030s.

However, getting the technology on the road, a first for BMW, is a huge breakthrough.

“Our BMW i7 ASSB test vehicle on the road is a perfect example of the BMW Group’s technology-open mindset,” said Schuster. “We are continuously advancing the development of new battery cell technologies and are constantly expanding our know-how with valuable partners such as Solid Power.”