Mercedes’ EQS prototype electric vehicle (EV), equipped with a lithium-metal solid-state battery, has begun real-world testing.
While car makers including Volkswagen, Toyota and Nissan have all announced plans to produce solid-state EVs, Mercedes-Benz claims it has launched the “world’s first solid-state battery vehicle from a global OEM”.
To develop the solid-state battery, engineers came together from both the company’s passenger car and Formula 1 teams.
These engineers also collaborated with Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), a UK-based subsidiary specialising in F1 technologies, as well as the Mercedes-Benz Centre of Competence for Battery Systems in Stuttgart.
A key partnership in the battery’s development was with US-based Factorial Energy, which provided the cells for the battery.
Following laboratory vehicle tests conducted in Stuttgart at the end of 2024, the EQS prototype will now continue its testing on the roads.
“We will gain crucial insights into possible series...