By all accounts the future of electric vehicles has to be found in so-called solid-state batteries. According to a recent report from Germany’s Manager Magazin Porsche is close to achieving an all-electric 911 powered by solid-state cells. While Porsche brass has repeatedly denied the 911 would go electric any time soon, this report indicates the prospect of a faster but quieter 911 is much closer than we think.
Porsche and Volkswagen have been longtime investors in a company called QuantumScape, which has built its reputation as the leading researchers in solid-state technology. According to Volkswagen, solid-state tech will reach consumer automobiles by the end of the 2020s which is capable of charging from 0-80 percent in as little as twelve minutes.
It would make a lot of sense to launch such groundbreaking technology on a car with a price premium and brand cache as the 911. Obviously new technology is always going to be expensive, and in general luxury and sports car buyers are more likely to want to buy bleeding edge technology and pay that premium for the privilege.
Conventional lithium-ion battery cells are created with a liquid electrolyte element inside, while solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte. This makes a solid-state battery safer according to the people who make them, as it is more resistant to damage and overheating. Solid-state, as mentioned above, is also capable of faster charging and better energy density. It is for these reasons that many automakers have gravitated toward a solid-state solution for the future of electric tech.
The sporty driving demands of a Porsche 911 would be perfectly played with a solid-state battery, as it would allow for better regenerative braking development, as well as quicker acceleration than currently available EV technology. If Porsche is, in fact, working on an electric 911, it will most certainly benefit from a solid-state battery.