4 minBusiness
Mercedes-Benz Deepens ProLogium Partnership to Test Solid-State Battery Cells
Mercedes-Benz will get priority access to ProLogium's fourth-generation solid-state battery cells for electrical, thermal, and safety testing, strengthening a partnership that dates back more than a decade and could accelerate the arrival of next-generation EV batteries.
Mercedes-Benz has strengthened its long-running partnership with Taiwanese battery developer ProLogium, securing priority access to the company's fourth-generation solid-state cells for testing at its own facilities and at third-party institutes. The agreement gives the German automaker an early look at technology that has been viewed for years as the most promising path to lighter, safer, and longer-range electric vehicles.
The tests will cover electrical, thermal, and safety performance. ProLogium's Gen4 cells use a ceramic separator and a non-flammable inorganic electrolyte, a design the company says supports both fast charging and high power output. That combination matters for automakers because conventional lithium-ion batteries rely on liquid electrolytes that can catch fire if a cell is damaged or overheats.
Solid-state batteries replace those liquids with solid materials. The result, in theory, is higher energy density, quicker charging, improved durability, and a lower risk of fire. The technology has been pursued by carmakers around the world for more than a decade, but manufacturing it at scale and at acceptable cost has proven difficult. Mercedes-Benz is not alone in the race: BYD, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Chery are among the companies also developing and testing solid-state cells, and some may bring products to market within the next year.
«At Mercedes-Benz, we are committed to shaping the future of electric mobility through technological leadership and innovation,» said Jörg Burzer, a member of the Mercedes-Benz Group AG Board of Management. «Our long-standing partnership with ProLogium is a strong example of how we bring the best expertise together to advance next-generation battery technologies.» Burzer said the combination of ProLogium's solid-state approach with Mercedes-Benz's battery development, testing, and integration capabilities represents a next step in exploring advanced batteries for future electric vehicles.
The partnership is not Mercedes-Benz's only bet on solid-state technology. The company is also testing lithium-metal battery cells from the American firm Factorial Energy. Last year, a Mercedes-Benz EQS fitted with one of Factorial's solid-state battery packs completed a single-charge drive of 748.8 miles, or about 1,205 kilometers. Mercedes said the car finished the test with an estimated 85 miles of range remaining, suggesting it could have gone farther.
ProLogium already operates a large battery factory in Taiwan and is planning a plant in Dunkirk, France, with capacity of up to 44 gigawatt-hours. The company has said the French site will allow it to supply cells to customers across Europe, including Mercedes-Benz. That plant would give the automaker a European source of supply as it prepares to roll out next-generation electric models.
For Mercedes-Benz, the priority access arrangement is a way to evaluate whether ProLogium's cells meet the demands of production vehicles before committing to them at scale. For ProLogium, the tie-up offers validation from one of the world's most recognized luxury car brands and a potential anchor customer in Europe. The testing program will help determine how quickly the technology can move from the laboratory to the road.
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