Huawei makes bold claim with 3,000 km-range electric car battery

Chinese technology giant Huawei is best known for its mobile phones and 5G equipment - and for being the subject of scrutiny by some Western governments over its ties to China's ruling Communist Party.

But in recent years the company has parked its tank on the auto industry lawn, launching its first electric car in 2021 to join China's automotive expansion that has seen compatriot manufacturer BYD overtake Tesla as the world's leading electric car seller while others like Leapmotor, Xpeng and SAIC also thrive.

Now it seems Huawei wants to make a next great leap forward with solid-state batteries - described as a 'holy grail' for the electric vehicle sector - by filing a patent for a battery that could power a car for up to 3,000 kilometres and take around 5 minutes to charge.

Huawei's claim has been met with scepticism: some analysts believe such a battery would be as heavy as a small hatchback and others question whether it could even be manufactured.

But BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota are among the many leading car makers to say they are aiming to develop solid-state, while Stellantis - the parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat and Peugeot, among others - recently announced "a significant step forward on the path to bringing next-generation electric vehicle (EV) batteries to market" with US-based Factorial Energy,

"Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries offer higher energy density and faster charging," Stellantis said.

Drivers considering switching from petrol or diesel engines to electricity-powered cars have faced so-called range anxiety: can the car get from A to B without its battery depleting and are there enough charging points en route?

Other disadvantages compared to combustion engines are the length of time it takes to charge compared to the couple of minutes needed to fill a tank at any of the far more widespread fuel stations.

"The lack of fast-charging options is a major roadblock for potential electric vehicle buyers," the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) warned last year, claiming that the continent will need an eight-fold expansion of charging points by the end of the decade if the "mass adoption" of electric cars is to come about.

BYD has since announced it will install a network of its "flash chargers" across Europe. Speaking to journalists in Brussels last month, vice president Stella Li claimed the planned roll-out "will be a game changer that will boost consumer confidence in electric driving."