French battery manufacturer Saft, a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, is opening new production lines for solid-state batteries at its Bordeaux site. The company aims to support electrification in the aviation and space sectors. According to Saft, it is the first French manufacturer capable of developing and producing solid-state batteries with both sulfide and polymer electrolytes for operation at room temperature.
The new facilities are intended to turn several years of research into industrial production. The company has not disclosed production capacity or further timelines.
Higher Energy Density and Lower Emissions
Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a solid material. According to Saft, this improves cell safety. Energy density is also said to be up to 50 percent higher than that of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Saft uses a dry electrode manufacturing process. According to the company, this can reduce CO₂ emissions from that production step by up to 40 percent. However, this figure does not indicate the overall emissions footprint of battery production.
First Cells Delivered for Aviation Testing
Saft has already delivered semi-solid-state battery cells for evaluating future electric and hybrid aircraft concepts. According to Saft, safety, performance, and energy density are particularly relevant to aviation and space applications. The company also reports interest from the space industry.
