Mercedes-Benz hits huge milestone in the quest to find the ‘holy grail’ of EV batteries
- Mercedes steps closer to finding the ‘holy grail’ of EV batteries
- It has begun testing a solid-state EV battery
- The new battery packs can offer a lot more range
Published on Feb 26, 2025 at 4:13 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Feb 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Mercedes-Benz could be getting one step closer to finding the ‘holy grail’ of EV batteries as its latest round of testing gets underway.
The carmaker has begun testing the world’s first solid-state battery, which offers a whopping 621 miles of range.
Engineers from Mercedes have reportedly designed and developed a ‘completely new and innovative battery system’.
And it could change the world of EVs forever.
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Mercedes-Benz is testing out a ‘world first’
‘Range anxiety’ – the fear that an EV will run out of battery miles from a charging station – has proven to be a real barrier preventing motorists from switching to electric vehicles.
In a bid to combat this – as well as companies like Tesla increasing the number of charging stations out on the roads – carmakers are turning their attention to batteries.
Last year, Mercedes showcased a concept electric car that traveled more than twice the distance of a typical electric car.
Now, the automaker has revealed it is trialing solid-state batteries for the first time.
On Monday (February 24), Mercedes announced that it had put ‘the first car powered by a lithium-metal solid-state battery on the road’.
“Developing an automotive-scale solid-state battery underlines our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” Mercedes Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer said.
“We’re therefore excited to announce that we’ve started road testing with a prototype vehicle equipped with this advanced technology. We will gain crucial insights into possible series integration of this cutting-edge battery technology.”
The new batteries could be a game-changer for EVs
The new battery packs were designed by Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes AMG High-Performance Powertrains (HPP), a top Formula 1 supplier – and they could be a real game changer when it comes to the future of electric vehicles.
Mercedes says the ‘solid-state battery in the EQS-based vehicle allows for up to 25 percent more driving range compared to the same battery weight and size of a corresponding standard EQS battery’.
Not only that but efficiency is boosted further thanks to passive battery cooling.
Mercedes says the test vehicle is expected to have a range of more than 1,000km (620 miles), compared to the standard battery that’s fitted in the EQS 450+ battery which offers 800 km (497 miles).
So, it seems like range anxiety could soon be a thing of the past.
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
