‘Will completely solve the mileage anxiety’

The electric vehicle market continues to excel as it addresses common anxieties about EV ranges. IM Motors is one of the latest companies introducing EVs with solid-state battery technology to increase their range and charging speeds.

Chinese automaker IM Motors — a joint venture of tech companies SAIC and Alibaba — has just released a revolutionary new electric vehicle with a “semi-solid-state battery” that allows for better charging capabilities and a longer life cycle, according to Interesting Engineering.

The development of high-performance batteries is important because it can help reduce anxieties about EV ranges, proving that new technologies can eliminate drivers’ fears about their EV batteries not lasting long enough.

According to GeoTab, EV range anxiety is one of the biggest reasons people and car companies are hesitant to transition to EVs. 

“Early models of electric vehicles had a poor reputation for their real-world mileage range between charges,” the article stated, explaining how there is a lasting anxiety about the reliability of EVs. However, this is all changing thanks to technological advancements like solid-state batteries.

All lithium batteries contain electrolytes, but they are usually in a liquid state. Solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte, which can allow for safer batteries due to improved stability, according to Samsung. 

Interesting Engineering reported that IM’s newest type of battery “adopts a semi-solid layout incorporating solid material suspended within a liquid electrolyte.”

The new battery pack, named “Lightyear,” will reportedly be used for the company’s L6 EV in its top-end variation — the L6 Lightyear Max — as Electrek detailed. The battery has likely been in the making since the spring of 2022, when IM and partner company QingTao began building a plant to create solid-state batteries, per Interesting Engineering. 

Regarding its capabilities, IM Motors co-CEO Liu Tao wrote on Weibo, as reported by Interesting Engineering, “Over 1,000 kilometers of range plus quasi 900 V ultra-fast charging will completely solve the mileage anxiety of pure electric cars.”

Technological advancements to make EVs more efficient, affordable, and accessible are paramount to curbing global pollution, which is driving more extreme weather and threatening communities. 

A Natural Resources Defense Council article highlighted the numerous benefits of expanding EVs. These include improving air quality — which also improves human health — creating new jobs for autoworkers and electricians, reducing noise pollution on the streets, and, of course, benefiting the environment.

The Lightyear batteries from IM are one of many new advancements in EV production. Car company Nissan has also committed to increasing its EV fleet with solid-state batteries by 2029, and GM and Ford have teamed up with Tesla to make EV Superchargers more accessible for charging quicker and more accessible.

According to Electrive, the L6 went on presale in April and is expected to officially hit the market in May. 

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