QuantumScape, the Silicon Valley company backed by Bill Gates, says it is close to bringing its solid-state battery to market after more than fifteen years of development. Here is what changes with this technology, why it has been so hard to manufacture, and which industries will get it first.

What Changes Compared With Today’s Batteries

The lithium-ion cells that currently power phones and electric cars move ions between electrodes through a liquid electrolyte. The solid-state variant replaces that liquid with a ceramic or polymer material. According to a feature published by MIT Technology Review on October 21, the promise is faster charging, more cycles, more energy stored in less space, and cooler operation. That last point matters: conventional lithium batteries can catch fire.

Why It Has Taken So Long

The technology has been «a few years away» for more than a decade. The main obstacle is dendrites, lithium filaments that grow during charging, pierce the electrolyte, and end in a short circuit. In theory, a solid electrolyte should block them, but many materials crack. Then there is production: making defect-free ceramic sheets at scale and assembling them in dry rooms, because these electrolytes react with water.

QuantumScape, founded in 2010, says it has found a family of lithium-compatible ceramics that avoids the problem. Tim Holme, cofounder and chief technology officer, explained that the company spent about ten years learning how to process the material, and that the heat treatment, which used to take days, now completes in minutes. That large-scale manufacturing method was announced in 2025.

Who Else Is in the Race

Toyota has been researching solid-state batteries since 2010 and is working with Idemitsu Kosan on a pilot plant; it promises cars with roughly 1,200 kilometers of range after a charge of ten minutes or less. CATL, which holds around 40% of the global battery market, reportedly invested some US$2.6 billion in its solid-state program during 2024 alone. Mercedes-Benz, for its part, fitted an EQS sedan with these cells and drove about 1,200 kilometers nonstop, with charge still left at the end.

Where It Will Arrive First

The first solid-state batteries for vehicles will cost more than lithium ones, and most manufacturers expect prices to reach parity only by the mid-2030s. That is why several companies are targeting aviation and defense, sectors that tolerate cost better and require lower volumes. Evelina Stoikou, head battery analyst at BloombergNEF, sees that as a sound path to validate the technology and fund its scale-up. Grid storage, under pressure from data center demand, could also join in if these cells outlast the eight hours lithium systems typically deliver.

At Webmusica we build web solutions with cutting-edge tech. Let’s talk about your project.

Source: MIT Technology Review.

Image: WrS.tm.pl — Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.