Will solid-state batteries and flying cars become a perfect match?

Currently, many automobile companies and battery manufacturers are vigorously expanding their presence in the fields of solid-state batteries and flying cars. Recently, GAC Group announced its latest progress in flying cars and all solid state batteries at the Guangzhou Auto Show; Changan Automobile also unveiled its flying car at the Guangzhou Auto Show and collaborated with Tailan New Energy to develop seamless solid-state lithium battery technology; Chery Automobile recently showcased its flying car and solid-state battery at the 2024 Chery Global Innovation Conference. With the development and application of solid-state batteries and flying cars, it is natural for them to integrate and promote each other.

The development direction of power systems for flying cars and intelligent electric vehicles is consistent

According to relevant personnel from Yihang Intelligence, regarding the industrialization of solid-state batteries carried by eVTOL, the company plans to continue in-depth cooperation with partners to further test and optimize the performance and stability of EH216-S. The goal is to achieve certification and mass production of solid-state batteries on EH216-S by the end of 2025. Chen Lin, Chairman of Xinjie Energy, one of the partners of Yihang Intelligent Solid State Battery, stated that they will continue to research and iterate to improve the performance of solid-state batteries, in order to increase the endurance of EH216-S, and are expected to further increase the endurance to 60 minutes by 2025.

At the same time, Yihang Intelligent also maintains cooperation with multiple power battery manufacturers in the field of solid-state battery research and development. As early as December 2023, Yihang Intelligence signed a contract with EVE Energy to jointly develop power cells, battery packs, energy storage systems, and charging infrastructure based on eVTOL products. On April 28, 2024, Yihang Intelligence reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Juwan Technology Research, incubated by GAC Group, to jointly develop the world's first ultra fast/ultra fast charging battery solution suitable for eVTOL.

Flying cars are a fusion of automobiles and aviation. "In the view of Su Qingpeng, the head of research and development for the flying car business at GAC Research Institute, 70% of the key components of flying cars have the same technology as intelligent electric cars, so flying cars can also be called" Robot AirTaxi "(autonomous driving flying taxi). At present, the maximum range of GAC Flying Vehicle GOVE is 30 kilometers, and they are developing a composite wing configuration flying vehicle with longer range, more passengers, and a maximum range of 150 kilometers.

It is reported that the current suppliers of all solid state batteries for GAC Flying Automotive's GOVE are CATL and Samsung SDI. In terms of independent research and development of all solid state batteries, GAC has initially established a complete manufacturing process for all solid state batteries, achieving key technological breakthroughs in the mass production of automotive grade high safety and large capacity all solid state power batteries, and possessing three core advantages of ultra-high energy density, ultra-high safety, and large capacity all solid state batteries. It is expected to be commercially available by 2026.

With the acceleration of the transformation of the automotive industry, new technologies, models, and formats continue to emerge, and solid-state batteries and flying cars are objectively the latest achievements in the development of the "new four modernizations" of automobiles. In fact, the widely used three electric technologies, auto drive system and lightweight materials on eVTOL are all accompanied by the development of intelligent electric vehicles. The reason why car companies widely layout flying cars is not only to seize the market, but also because most of the core components of flying cars, especially power batteries, are in line with the development direction of electric vehicle technology. Therefore, the application of solid-state batteries in flying cars is also necessary.

High energy density solid-state batteries help eVTOL fly further. So, how compatible are solid-state batteries with flying cars?

At present, solid state batteries are the best choice for flying vehicles in terms of safety, stability, tolerance, and various indicators. "Yu Dongsheng, a researcher at the New Energy Application Technology Research Center of Northwestern Polytechnical University, told China Automotive News reporters that due to the larger temperature difference experienced by eVTOLs during flight compared to ground vehicles, and the higher requirements for energy density, power, safety, and other aspects of the required power battery, solid state batteries are a more ideal choice considering current technological routes and costs.

Solid state batteries suitable for flying cars also have higher requirements than automotive grade products in some specific indicators, mainly including the following aspects: firstly? High energy density?, EVTOL requires long endurance, so the energy density of the battery is crucial and determines its flight time? Important factors. The reason why the EH216-S of Yihang has significantly improved its endurance this time is also because it is equipped with high-energy density solid-state batteries.

The second one? High power density, eVTOL requires stronger energy support during takeoff and climb, so solid-state batteries that meet eVTOL requirements must have the ability to safely, stably, and quickly release energy in a short period of time. Three is? High security?, The battery system of eVTOL needs to achieve aviation grade safety, and the solid-state batteries it carries need to remain stable under extreme conditions such as high temperature, low temperature, and high voltage to avoid risks such as failure, fire, and explosion. In addition, eVTOL's power batteries have higher standards for battery life, fast charging speed, and other aspects.

It is reported that the solid-state lithium battery carried by Yihang Intelligent EH216-S is a high-energy solid-state battery jointly developed by Yihang Intelligent, Xinjie Energy, and the International Advanced Technology Application Promotion Center (Hefei) Low altitude Economic Battery Energy Research Institute. It uses lithium metal as the negative electrode and oxide ceramics as the electrolyte, with an energy density of 480Wh/kg. At the same time, high-energy solid-state batteries have undergone rigorous testing, including electrical performance, mechanical performance, safety performance, and other aspects, covering performance under extreme conditions such as high temperature and needle puncture.

Lin Hongchang, a researcher at the New Energy Collaborative Innovation Center of Zhejiang University, pointed out in an interview with China Automotive News that on the one hand, it is necessary to further strengthen the development of higher energy density batteries on the basis of meeting aviation grade performance standards, so as to make the compatibility between solid-state batteries and flying vehicles stronger. On the other hand, it is also necessary to accelerate the research and development of commercial production processes for solid-state batteries.

To a large extent, there is a significant gap between laboratory prototype products and commercial mass-produced products. To achieve mass production of solid-state batteries, a complete system is needed from process flow, manufacturing standards to equipment development, safety production, quality monitoring and testing. It is necessary to establish and improve this system while reducing costs while ensuring quality. Completing these processes requires a considerable amount of time, therefore, many companies have set the mass production of solid-state batteries between 2026 and 2030.

Unlike ground vehicles, the high-energy density solid-state batteries used in flying cars also need to be lightweight. "In the view of Professor Zeng Xin from Beijing University of Science and Technology, flying cars cannot use products with higher weight and larger volume like ground vehicles, and must achieve higher energy density on the basis of smaller volume and lighter weight when flying at low altitude. Adding 1 kilogram of battery weight in the air will increase resistance and correspondingly shorten the endurance time. Only by solving the above problems can solid-state batteries be called the "perfect match" for flying cars.

Establish and improve relevant standard systems to achieve integrated innovation and collaborative development

On the basis of innovation in flying cars and solid-state batteries, how to achieve integrated innovation, collaborative development, and mutual promotion in research and commercialization between solid-state batteries and flying cars has become a common issue in the industry.

Whether it is independent research and development by enterprises or collaborative innovation between enterprises, a technology research and development system must be established. "In Yu Dongsheng's view, there are a large number of new technologies in solid-state batteries and flying cars. To improve research and development efficiency, it is necessary to establish a mechanism with clear responsibilities, relative flexibility, and the ability to collaborate and quickly solve technical problems.

If different enterprises cooperate in development, they should also clarify the ownership of innovative technologies and their intellectual property rights to avoid legal disputes in the future. With a good mechanism, both car companies and battery research and development related enterprises can achieve efficient collaboration, reduce delays and efficiency caused by information asymmetry, and better adapt solid-state battery products to flying cars.

In fact, as of now, there is still a lack of corresponding complete standard systems for both flying cars and solid-state batteries. Standards are the norms and guidelines for technology, products, and industrial development. Establishing and improving relevant standard systems is of great significance for improving innovation efficiency and achieving technological breakthroughs. "Zeng Xin said that on the one hand, solid-state batteries and flying cars need to establish and improve their respective standard systems as soon as possible.

This not only concerns the efficiency and progress of research and development, but also provides important support for the synergy between solid-state batteries and flying cars, and the mutual promotion of research and commercialization. On the other hand, establishing a comprehensive standard system for the coordinated development of solid-state batteries and flying cars will also enable the entire industry to form a joint force, avoiding situations like electric vehicle power batteries and charging piles acting independently and wasting resources, and maximizing the use of social resources to promote social development with good products.

Faced with the increasing development of solid-state batteries and flying cars, the industry is also calling for the establishment of a good development ecosystem. Lin Hongchang suggested that it is necessary to promote collaboration between enterprises and the construction of a good ecosystem in the industry, resolutely avoid "internal competition", promote the healthy development of the industry, focus on technology research and development, promote the mutual promotion of technology research and commercialization of solid-state batteries and flying cars, and enable China's low air economy industry to quickly overtake like the new energy vehicle industry, occupy a leading position in the world, and become a new engine for promoting China's economic growth.