BYD announces 238 new patents, including solid-state batteries and autonomous driving related patents

On January 19, the State Intellectual Property Office announced BYD’s latest 283 patents, covering technologies such as solid-state batteries, battery thermal management, and autonomous driving control systems.

Among them, two patents were published in the field of solid-state batteries.

The first is "a positive electrode material and a preparation method thereof, and a solid-state lithium battery ". The application date of the patent is July 17, 2019, and the application publication date is January 19, 2021.

Specifically, the present invention provides a positive electrode material having a core-shell structure, wherein the core is a positive electrode active material, and the shell comprises a lithium-containing transition metal oxide and Ti2O3. The ionic conductivity of the lithium-containing transition metal oxide is higher than 10?8S·cm?1. At a voltage higher than 3.0V, the lithium-containing transition metal oxide can be delithiated to generate an oxide, and the electronic conductivity of the oxide is higher than 10?6S·cm?1.

The present invention also provides a method for preparing a positive electrode material and a solid-state lithium battery . The positive electrode material can simultaneously construct a lithium ion transmission channel and an electron transmission channel, greatly improving the capacity, first-cycle coulomb efficiency, cycle performance and high-rate performance of the solid-state lithium battery.

Image source: Qixinbao

The second is "A solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries , a preparation method thereof, and a solid-state lithium-ion battery". The application date of this patent is July 19, 2019, and the application publication date is also January 19, 2021.

Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a solid electrolyte for lithium-ion batteries, a preparation method thereof, and a solid lithium-ion battery, wherein the electrolyte contains a substance with a chemical formula of aLi2S·MS2·nH2O, wherein M is one or more of Si, Ge, and Sn, 1≤n≤12, and 1≤a≤2. The solid electrolyte disclosed in the present disclosure has good safety performance and high energy density.

Image source: Qixinbao

OFweek New Energy Vehicle Network found that on December 1, 2020, BYD also applied for a patent for "a gel polymer battery and its preparation method". The patent application date was May 28, 2019.

The reason why solid-state battery technology has been so popular recently is that NIO previously announced the launch of a 150kWh solid-state battery pack. With the help of the 150kWh battery pack, the newly released sedan ET 7 has a NEDC range of more than 1,000 kilometers.

As soon as the news came out, discussions about solid-state battery technology and 1,000-kilometer range became popular.

More than ten days later, BYD applied for and announced the solid-state battery-related technology that it had applied for last year. It seemed like a silent release of a big move. Netizens even joked that NIO's solid-state battery was released in vain. BYD's steady and cautious approach actually matched its usual image as a "science and engineering man".

Speaking of this, we have to mention that after the news of the 150kWh solid-state battery pack was released that night, speculation about its supplier also came in. At that time, industry insiders analyzed that NIO had already locked in CATL.

It is still unclear whether this news is true or not, but CATL is not idle. OFweek New Energy Vehicle Network checked Qixinbao and learned that CATL also applied for and disclosed two solid-state battery-related patents on January 19, namely "a method for preparing a solid electrolyte" and "a sulfide solid electrolyte sheet and its preparation method".

The announcement of CATL's two patents on the preparation method of solid-state electrolytes has once again made people link CATL and NIO together.

The control system of the autonomous driving vehicle and the autonomous driving vehicle patent announced together with the solid-state battery-related patents were applied for on May 29, 2020.

Detailed information shows that the control system includes: an electronic control unit ECU, a gear control unit SCU connected to the electronic control unit ECU, an electronic parking unit EPB, and an electronic stability unit ESP.

Among them, the gear control unit SCU is connected to the gear actuator, and the electronic parking unit EPB is connected to the electronic handbrake actuator; the electronic control unit ECU is used to control the gear actuator and the electronic handbrake actuator according to the start command when the vehicle is working in the automatic driving mode, and control the body electronic stability unit ESP; or when receiving the parking command, it controls the gear actuator and the electronic handbrake actuator according to the parking command. This control system enriches the functions of the vehicle in the automatic driving mode, improves the safety of the vehicle's automatic driving, and improves the driver's automatic driving experience.