Solid-State Batteries Already Powering Electric Cars: BlueCars, In Fact

BlueIndy electric-car sharing station and European Bollore BlueCar, Indianapolis, Indiana, May 2014

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In the quest for a better battery chemistry that can make electric cars more competitive with internal combustion, solid-state cells have generated quite a bit of buzz.

As the name implies, solid-state cells replace the liquid electrolyte used in current lithium-ion cells with a solid material--a design that has numerous potential advantages, proponents say.

While it's typically discussed as an emerging technology, it turns out there's already a car being manufactured today that uses a battery pack made of solid-state cells.

DON'T MISS: Indianapolis Electric-Car Sharing: We Drive BlueIndy's BlueCar (May 2014)

Depending on where you live, you may be able to drive this car--but you can't buy it unless you live in France.

That's because the car in question is the Bolloré BlueCar, developed for the company's car-sharing service.

BlueCars already operate in several cities in France and will begin plying the streets of Indianapolis later this year, followed by a London launch.

Bolloré BlueCar electric car used for Autolib' car-sharing service in Paris, September 2012

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But the main goal of offering short-term rentals isn't to give more people access to electric cars.

Bolloré hopes to use car sharing as a platform to develop and promote its solid-state batteries, according to a recent New York Times profile (via Charged EVs).

While the BlueCars themselves are now built by Renault, Bolloré manufactures their lithium-metal-polymer batteries.

ALSO SEE: Bolloré BlueCar: Sharing Paris's Most Popular Electric Car (Oct 2012)

It hopes eventually to compete with established lithium-ion cell manufacturers like Panasonic and LG Chem as a supplier to carmakers.

Bolloré claims the solid-state design is safer because it doesn't use a flammable liquid electrolyte and that, eventually, it will surpass other designs in energy density.

The company has already invested an estimated 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion dollars) in all of its electric-car projects.

Bolloré BlueCar electric car used for Autolib' car-sharing service in Paris, September 2012

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So far, Blue Solutions--the Bolloré division in charge of electric cars and batteries--has made no money, losing €5.7 million ($6.3 million) last year on sales of €97.2 million ($108.5 million).

Bolloré is far from the only company to see a long-term advantage in solid-state cells.

Sakti3 and Quantumscape are also working on solid-state batteries for electric cars, having partnered with General Motors and Volkswagen Group, respectively.

But Bolloré's approach of integrating batteries, cars, and a car-sharing service remains unique, at least for today.

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Source: Solid-State Batteries Already Powering Electric Cars: BlueCars, In Fact