QuantumScape has recently announced the commencement of low-volume production of its first B-samples of anode-free solid-state lithium-metal batteries, the QSE-5 B, marking a significant developmental milestone for the company in 2024. This QSE-5 B sample lithium metal solid-state battery cell is set to become QuantumScape's first commercial solid-state battery prototype, with a capacity of 5 Ah. These solid-state cells have begun small-scale production and delivery for testing by customers in the automotive industry.
Volkswagen is likely to be one of the first OEMs to receive the QSE-5 B samples. Since 2012, Volkswagen has been invested in the company, and currently, its battery subsidiary PowerCo is collaborating with QuantumScape.
QuantumScape's third-quarter report states that the QSE-5 represents a significant milestone for the company and the entire battery industry, being the first anode-free solid-state lithium-metal battery design ever produced for automotive applications. The company claims this battery is capable of simultaneously offering exceptional performance in energy density, discharge power, charging speed, low-temperature performance, and safety. However, QuantumScape also notes that extensive testing of this product will be required, which will take several months to complete. There is a need for significant improvement in battery reliability, yield, and equipment productivity, among others..
The QSE-5 B cell, which is QuantumScape's first commercially viable all-solid-state lithium-metal battery product, measures 84.5 mm x 65.6 mm x 4.6 mm, has a capacity of 5 Ah, and an energy density of 844 Wh/L or 301 Wh/kg. It can achieve a discharge rate of up to 10C and can charge from 10% to 80% in under 15 minutes at 45 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the battery exhibits good low-temperature performance, operating at temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius.
Prior to the QSE-5, QuantumScape had already launched two battery prototypes: in December 2022, the company delivered the 'A0' cell samples to automotive manufacturers for testing. In October 2023, the company reported that the latest A0 prototype batteries achieved over 1000 cycles in the battery test labs of potential customers. In March 2024, the company began sending Alpha-2 all-solid-state battery prototype test samples to customers, which serve as an intermediate step between the A0 and QSE-5 B0 cell prototypes. These battery prototypes all adopt a design format known as FlexFrame, which combines the design advantages of traditional prismatic and pouch cell designs.
In addition to the batteries themselves, the company is also developing a manufacturing process suitable for mass production. The solid-state ceramic electrolyte separator used in the low-volume QSE-5 B samples is produced using the "Raptor" equipment and production process. The company is developing the "Cobra" production process, which is based on AI and machine learning capabilities, with plans to use the Cobra process for larger-scale production of solid-state electrolyte separators by 2025.
In July of this year, PowerCo reached an agreement with QuantumScape, in which PowerCo will pay a royalty fee to QuantumScape for exclusive rights to their technology and provide technical personnel to assist in the gigawatt-hour scale industrialization of the QSE-5 technology platform, with an initial royalty fee of $130 million. PowerCo plans to mass-produce lithium-metal solid-state batteries based on QuantumScape's technology platform, with a planned annual capacity of 40GWh, and an option to expand to 80 GWh/year in the future, sufficient to support the production of approximately one million electric vehicles per year. The two companies are currently conducting joint development activities for these batteries at QuantumScape's facility in San Jose.
