● The pain points of new energy transformation in commercial vehicles and the technological breakthrough of solid-state batteries
As the core carrier of logistics transportation, services, and main line freight, the new energy process of commercial vehicles directly affects the realization of the "double carbon" goal. However, the technical limitations of traditional liquid lithium batteries long restricted the depth and breadth of new energy transformation in commercial vehicles.
1. The core pain points of new energy transformation in commercial vehicles
Compared with passenger cars, commercial vehicles have essential differences in their use scenarios, their requirements for power batteries are more focused on "practicality" and "economics". For medium and short-distance commercial vehicles such as urban distribution and san, cost sensitivity and refueling convenience are the core demands; while for long-distance heavy trucks, cold chain logistics vehicles and other sub-sectors, range, charging efficiency lifecycle reliability become insurmountable thresholds.
At present, the commercial vehicles driven by liquid lithium-ion batteries generally face three major dilemmas:
First, range anxiety, the single demand of long-distance heavy trucks is mostly above 300 kilometers, while the existing liquid battery energy density is mostly between 150-200Wh/, resulting in the need for vehicles to carry a large number of batteries, which not only increases the purchase cost but also reduces the cargo efficiency;
Second, inefficient refuel, it often takes several hours to fully charge a commercial vehicle at a traditional charging pile, far less convenient than refueling a fuel-powered vehicle, which seriously affects the operational;
Third, safety risks, commercial vehicles are subject to long-term high load, high frequency charging and discharging, and the risk of thermal runaway of liquidte always exists, especially in extreme environments such as high temperature and cold, the incidence of safety accidents remains high.
In addition, the high total cost of ownership (TC) caused by battery degradation also makes many logistics companies hesitate to buy new energy commercial vehicles.
2. Solid-state battery technology advantages precisely match the needs of commercial vehicles
Solid-state batteries replace traditional liquid electrolytes with solidtes, achieving a qualitative leap in core performance, and their technical characteristics are highly compatible with the usage needs of commercial vehicles.
The breakthrough improvement in energy density is the core of solid-state batteries. The Rhino S all-solid-state battery module exhibited by Chery has an energy density of up to 600 Wh/kg, the theoretical limit of lithium batteries and far exceeding the current level of liquid batteries.
For commercial vehicles, high energy density means that longer range can be achieved with the same battery, or that the battery load can be reduced under the same range requirements. Taking long-haul heavy trucks as an example, adopting 500 Wh/kg all-solidstate batteries, the vehicle can carry more than 1000 kWh of electricity, with a range that can easily exceed 1500 kilometers, completely solving the anxiety of long-distance transportation.
Optimizing energy refueling efficiency directly addresses the pain points of commercial vehicle operations.
Chery's all-solid- battery achieving the performance index of "6 minutes of charging, 1000 kilometers of range" means that energy refueling for commercial vehicles will reach the convenience of refing for fuel-powered vehicles. For long-distance heavy trucks traveling 300-500 kilometers per day, short-time refueling can meet the operational of the whole day, effectively reducing the time of shutdown and improving operational efficiency. BYD's patent layout in the field of solid-state batteries includes a number of achievements to fast charging technology. If its "solid-liquid price parity" goal can be achieved, it will further amplify the economic benefits brought by the improvement of refueling efficiency
The essence of safety performance improvement provides protection for commercial vehicle operations.
Solid-state batteries with solid electrolytes do not have the risk of leakage and have significantly thermal stability than liquid electrolytes, fundamentally solving the problem of thermal runaway. Commercial vehicles are in a harsh operating environment of high load, strong vibration, and extreme temperatures for a time. The inherent safety of solid-state batteries can significantly reduce the incidence of safety accidents, especially for high-intensity operations in closed scenarios such as ports and mining areas. In, the advantage of solid-state batteries in cycle life can effectively reduce the rate of battery decay, thereby optimizing the cost of commercial vehicles throughout their lifecycle
● Challenges for Solid-state Batteries in Commercial Vehicle Industry
Despite the significant opportunities it brings, the vehicle industry still faces multiple challenges in the implementation of solid-state batteries.
The cost bottleneck remains the most significant obstacle.
Currently, the cost of all--state batteries is about 8 times higher than that of liquid-state batteries. Since the energy capacity of a single pack for commercial vehicles is generally over 300k, the vehicle purchase cost will increase significantly if all of them are equipped with all-solid-state batteries, exceeding the market acceptance range. In addition, the production process of solidstate batteries is more complex, and it requires higher standards for equipment and materials, further pushing up the manufacturing cost.
On the technical front, there are still problems that need be addressed urgently.
Firstly, there is the problem of interface stability. Poor contact between solid electrolytes and cathode/anode materials can easily lead to capacity and shortened battery life, which fails to meet the demand for long-term high-load operation of commercial vehicles. Secondly, there is insufficient ionic conductivity. The ionic of mainstream oxide and sulfide solid electrolytes is still lower than that of liquid electrolytes, which restricts the charging speed and power output. Thirdly, there is the problem volume expansion and contraction. The volume change of electrode materials during the charging and discharging process may cause the battery packaging to crack. In the operating environment where commercial vehicles are continuously vib, this problem will be more prominent.
The lack of ecological synergy also hinders the implementation process.
At present, there is a lack of unified standard system the field of solid-state batteries for commercial vehicles. The size of battery packs and the BMS communication protocol are quite different, resulting in the products of different enterprises being incompatible and the difficulty of promotion. At the same time, the recycling system for solid-state batteries has not yet been established, and the treatment and reuse of waste batteries become potential problems
In addition, the upgrading of energy-supply facilities lags behind the development of battery technology. The construction cost of super-fast charging stations is high, and the is small, which can hardly meet the needs of large-scale application.
For the commercial vehicle industry, solid-state batteries represent not only a technological revolution but also a historical opportunity for industrial restructuring. Its technological advantages, as high energy density, fast charging efficiency, and high safety, will precisely address the core pain points of new energy transformation in commercial vehicles, driving the industry from "policy-driven to "market-driven".
Despite facing multiple challenges such as cost, technology, and ecology at present, the large-scale implementation of solid-state batteries in commercial vehicle field is already a trend with the continuous iteration of technology, the continuous maturity of the industrial chain, and the strong support of policies. It is expected that by 230, solid-state batteries will dominate the new energy market for commercial vehicles, driving the electrification replacement of all scenarios such as mainline transportation and urban services, and core support for the realization of the "double carbon" goal.
