Solid-state batteries outperform lithium-ion but aren’t in iPhones yet

Solid-state batteries offer higher energy density, improved safety and longer lifespan, but they are not yet used to power iPhones and most portable devices. Solid-state cells use solid materials for the electrolyte instead of the liquid or gel electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries.

The dry electrolytes — various ceramics — are non-flammable, can allow higher energy density, charge faster and provide more recharge cycles. In a ZDNET review, the writer opened a power bank with a solid-state battery and stabbed it with a screwdriver; apart from a few wisps of smoke, nothing happened.

Widespread adoption is held back mainly by cost and manufacturing scale. The industry has decades of experience producing lithium-ion cells and turns out billions of units yearly; Apple alone is estimated to have sold close to 250 million iPhones last year, and the global smartphone market was in the region of 1.25 billion to 1.6 billion.

The supply chain for solid-state batteries is not ready for that level of output, and the cells are more complex to make, with lower yields, sensitivity to vibrations and slight swelling in use. Low yields mean solid-state batteries that do reach production can be some four to eight times more expensive than comparable lithium-ion cells.

Key Topics

Tech, Solid-state Batteries, Lithium-ion Batteries, Apple, Smartphone Market, Battery Manufacturing