Gabriel Walker
Jan 16, 2024
German auto giant Volkswagen has been in talks with France’s Blue Solution to adapt the design for cars after facing unexpected delays in achieving its goal of developing a “solid-state” electric car battery with US startup QuantumScape.
Reuters, citing sources, reported that the two companies which are currently holding talks on the prospects of the deal aim to conclude in the coming months.
The German auto giant’s investors look at the company’s decision to widen its options as a loophole because the decision to contact France’s company hints at several technical issues holding back the development of solid-state technology, which has been termed the “holy grail” of electric vehicle batteries as it promises longer driving ranges ad shorter charging times than traditional lithium-ion packs.
However, the company officials remained tight-lipped about the development claiming that their discussions with QuantumScape were on track.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Blue Solutions, a unit of French conglomerate Bollore, confirmed to Reuters that it was working on a battery for passenger cars and said it had signed development deals with BMW and another company and was in talks with a third, but declined to identify the others.
Volkswagen, Toyota, BMW and other global automakers are vying to crack the conundrum of solid-state batteries, which remain technically elusive despite decades of research and billions of dollars of investment.
