The Formula One world has returned to action this week, as pre-season testing begins in Bahrain.
However, the period since the 2024 season ended has not been a holiday for the experts who construct engines for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.
Engineers from Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) – based in Brixworth, Northamptonshire – have been helping to develop new EV battery technology.
This includes installing advanced solid-state batteries into a Mercedes-Benz EQS electric car, then testing them in real-world conditions.
A future state of mind
Solid-state batteries are seen as key to boosting future EV performance, along with improving safety and reducing weight. The vast majority of electric cars currently on sale use less sophisticated lithium-ion cells.
Most significantly, solid-state batteries bring greater efficiency, which could extend the driving range of electric cars between charges.
Following a series of bench tests, the solid-state batteries were fitted to the EQS test car in late 2024. Laboratory work was then completed before the slightly modified Mercedes was ready for road testing.
A team from HPP worked with Factorial, the American maker of the lithium-metal battery cells, to help the new technology be rapidly integrated into the prototype EQS. This makes it the first time a production car has been fitted with solid-state batteries.
Going the distance
Compared to the same weight and size of traditional lithium-ion batteries in the Mercedes-Benz EQS, the solid-state cells can increase range by a considerable 25 percent.
Mercedes-Benz is now aiming for a maximum range of 620 miles with the new batteries fitted. By comparison, an existing EQS 450+ can achieve an official range of 497 miles.
Further rounds of laboratory evaluation and more road tests will follow, although the reality of solid-state batteries is getting closer.
“Being the first to successfully integrate lithium metal solid-state batteries into a production vehicle platform marks a historic achievement in electric mobility,” said Siyu Huang, CEO of Factorial Energy.
“This breakthrough demonstrates that solid-state battery technology has moved beyond the laboratory and into real-world application, setting a new benchmark for the entire automotive industry.”
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