How battery development and charging infrastructure together determine the future of mobility

The future of mobility lies in electromobility because it is environmentally friendly and nature-friendly, as electric vehicles do not emit any pollutants and are less dependent on fossil fuels. In the first generation of electric cars, the batteries had a significantly lower energy density, which was associated with a limited range.
Together with the charging infrastructure, which is still being developed, and the long charging times, this led to range anxiety among many drivers. In order to advance electromobility, innovative battery technologies and the further expansion of the charging infrastructure are important.

More range with new battery technologies

A decisive factor for the range of electric cars is battery technology. Modern electric cars have an average range of 400 kilometers with a fully charged battery. New battery technologies are the key to greater range. What is important is a high energy density, but also a long battery life.

Lithium-ion batteries already impress with their high performance.

They have an energy density of 150 to 250 Wh/kg and a lifespan of eight to twelve years. Revolutionary technologies are under development. Lithium-sulfur batteries are expected to have an energy density of 400 to 500 Wh/kg and a lifespan of 10 to 15 years. Experts assume that they will be ready for the market between 2027 and 2029.

Solid-state batteries as the technology of the future

Solid-state batteries represent a quantum leap in energy storage, in which the liquid electrolyte of lithium-ion batteries is replaced by a solid such as polymer or ceramic. The energy density is 300 to 400 Wh/kg and the service life is 15 to 20 years. The greatly reduced loading times are also convincing. Experts from vehicle manufacturer Toyota expect that charging times for 80 percent of the battery capacity will be reduced to less than ten minutes. The range of a solid-state battery could be up to 800 kilometers.

The risk of thermal runaway is reduced by the solid electrolyte. This makes complex cooling systems unnecessary. Volkswagen plans series production from 2028. However, production is still complex, which is associated with high production costs. The price for the current prototypes is three times higher than for conventional batteries. The first commercial vehicles could be powered by solid-state batteries from 2030.

Reduction in charging times for batteries

Shortened charging times for the batteries create an incentive to buy electric cars and thus contribute to the energy transition. Charging time has been one of the biggest challenges in electromobility to date. More and more manufacturers and network operators are now relying on ultra-fast charging infrastructures.

Charging capacities on highways, in residential areas and at urban charging stations could be more than 350 kilowatts in the future. With such a high charging capacity, electric cars can already be charged with 80 percent of the battery capacity within 20 minutes.

Intelligent charging solutions are becoming increasingly popular.

They dynamically adjust the charging process by analyzing the load on the power grid in real time. This avoids network overloads and reduces costs. The intelligent charging solutions are particularly interesting for home charging stations. Homeowners can connect these charging stations to smart home systems and start charging automatically when renewable energy is available or electricity prices are low.

Electric cars as mobile energy storage devices – possible with bidirectional charging

An important aspect for the future of electromobility is the bidirectional charging of electric cars. The vehicles are not only supplied with energy from the power grid, but can also feed electricity into the public grid or into the house. This turns them into mobile energy storage devices.

Electric car owners who have a home with a photovoltaic system can use their car as a buffer for excess solar power. Here too, intelligent charging solutions play a crucial role. The electricity that is not used directly can be stored in the vehicle's battery on sunny days. This makes better use of the electricity generated because it can be fed back into the house in the evening when the sun no longer shines. This makes you less dependent on electricity from the network operators.

The electric car could even serve as an emergency power supply during power outages or in times of crisis. The major vehicle manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Tesla and Nissan, want to equip more and more vehicle models with this technology.

Improving the charging infrastructure

In order to further advance electromobility, it is important to improve the charging infrastructure. The charging network must be user-friendly, technically secure and available across the board.

In addition to clear security and functional standards for bidirectional charging and a significant reduction in charging time, uniform and binding requirements for security, network compatibility and interoperability are important. Important legal bases are the EU regulation on the infrastructure for alternative fuels (AFIR) and the national charging station regulation.

The existing requirements for the development and operation of charging infrastructures in residential construction, commercial properties and public spaces must be reliably implemented.

The integration of solar energy plays an important role in improving the charging infrastructure. Carports and charging parks are already being equipped with solar roofs. They reduce the ecological footprint of electromobility.

Inductive charging of electric vehicles

Wireless charging systems play an important role in improving the charging infrastructure. The performance of the ultra-fast charging systems is more than 350 kilowatts and is associated with high power consumption. The electricity consumption of a charging station with an output of 350 kilowatts corresponds to the consumption of approximately 280 households at the same time.

The output of systems for inductive charging is 11 to 22 kilowatts. However, it takes two to four hours for the vehicle to charge. With inductive charging, plugging in cables is no longer necessary. Mercedes-Benz and BMW are working on static charging pads for the home. The charging pads can be positioned with millimeter precision using vehicle cameras or smartphone apps. Wireless charging systems are expected to be standard equipment on many electric vehicles by 2030. In some cases the efficiency is already more than 90 percent.

The most revolutionary are electrified road sections that charge vehicles while driving. There are already test tracks in Sweden and Germany where vehicles continuously absorb energy. One challenge is the high installation costs of around two million euros per kilometer, which require careful financial planning.