Still To Be Determined 235: The State of Solid State Batteries - QuantumScape Interview
Sep 11, 2024
Dr. Tim Holme, Co-Founder and CTO of QuantumScape, joins the conversation to delve into the future of solid state batteries. He shares insights on the groundbreaking partnership with Volkswagen's Powerco, crucial for advancing battery technology. The discussion highlights the advantages of solid state batteries over traditional lithium-ion variations and addresses key challenges in manufacturing. Dr. Holme also emphasizes the need for continuous innovation over speed to market, making it clear that the road to commercialization is intricate yet promising.
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Solid-State Confusion
- Solid-state batteries lack a universally accepted definition, causing confusion.
- Companies use various terms like "quasi" or "hybrid" solid-state, further muddying the waters.
Expanding Batteries
- QuantumScape's batteries expand and contract by ~15% due to lithium movement.
- They had to invent new packaging to accommodate this change.
Taming the Tiger
- A QuantumScape coworker compares lithium to a caged tiger, highlighting its reactivity.
- Controlling lithium's behavior was a major challenge, requiring years of research.