New batteries for electric cars are supposed to be the solution to the problems plaguing current cells. Already, some manufacturers are promising batteries with fast charging and long range. We looked at how the battery for the electric car of the future will work.
New batteries for electric cars - what are the characteristics of the new generation of batteries?
Batteries for electric cars are devices that can be described without exaggeration as the Achilles' heel of electromobility. The lithium-ion cells used in vehicles are not a good solution. What works in the mobile industry, for example, does not work in the automotive sector.
What disadvantages do electric car batteries have? Heavy weight, sizeable size, long charging times and a car range that is noticeably shorter than that of internal combustion vehicles. All these problems are likely to be solved by the new batteries for electric cars.
Manufacturers and research centres promise a range of up to 1,000 km of continuous driving. The car's charging time is expected to be reduced to 10 minutes. And all this in a housing no bigger (or even smaller) than current cells.
The new batteries for electric cars are also expected to help address another major pain point of the technology. This is the need to use rare earth elements. Each electric car battery is made up of elements such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, among others. The mining of these ores contributes to environmental degradation. 
What technology will be used in electric car batteries?
Current batteries in electric cars use a liquid electrolyte. This substance is used to conduct electricity between the electrodes - the anode and the cathode.
The disadvantage is the low energy density due to the liquid state of the electrolyte. In other words, a liquid substance is not able to store as much of it as a solid chemical compound.
Will new electric car batteries reduce charging times?
Solid electrolytes themselves are by no means a novelty. They have been known to science for many years. However, the new batteries for electric cars have disadvantages that need to be eliminated. Toyota engineers, among others, are working on this. In collaboration with companies such as Panasonic, BYD and Subaru, as well as Tokyo University of Technology, they have developed a prototype battery that charges in just a quarter of an hour.
Batteries for electric cars of this type will probably only enter mass production in some time. What time? Even the scientists working on these cells do not know the exact date. As a first step, they need to discover a solid electrolyte that does not deform during battery charging.
It remains to hope for the success of this project. And the chances of that are not small. Toyota began its adventure with electric engines at the beginning of the 21st century. The experience and achievements gained so far allow us to assume that this time, too, the Japanese company will find a way to facilitate the electrification of transport. 
Will new batteries for electric cars increase range covered?
It is not only in Japan that new types of batteries are being developed. SALD, or Spatial Atom Layer Deposition, is being developed in Germany. The idea behind the project boils down to the creation of an extremely thin, three-dimensional atomic shell. This will allow the current between the electrodes to flow more efficiently. This will improve the comfort of the car.
Just 10 minutes of charging is expected to be enough to fully replenish the energy. In addition to this, the use of the SALD is expected to allow the battery to achieve a driving range of up to 1,000 kilometres. This is supposed to be more or less constant, regardless of the driving style and the number of systems switched on in the car.
The SALD coating is also intended to ensure safety. The European battery for the electric car is to maintain its optimum temperature regardless of the circumstances. The project is jointly led by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute and The Netherlands Organisation. The start of production is planned for 2022 or 2023.
Perhaps electric car batteries will soon be no less efficient than fuel tanks. Their recharging will also become just as fast. They will probably also become cheaper and lighter than current cells. We can only keep our fingers crossed that this will happen. Without new developments, electromobility will continue to be treated with caution for a long time to come.
