Batteries are the backbone of the energy transition. However, their weaknesses are well known: limited range, safety risks and critical raw materials. The new Technology Outlook from the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW now shows ways in which these challenges can be overcome and how this also presents opportunities for Switzerland as a centre of innovation.
The solution for more safety and performance in batteries could actually come from an unexpected source: the Swiss watch industry. Solid-state batteries replace the flammable liquid electrolyte of conventional lithium-ion batteries with solid polymer materials. The result: a significantly lower risk of fire and explosion combined with higher energy density.
The "Battery Innovation Hub" in Biel is utilising a process from watchmaking. With "Physical Vapour Deposition", high-purity lithium metal is applied as a thin layer in a vacuum. This is a precision technology that prevents unwanted deposits and thus increases storage capacity and service life. The challenge remains scalability: production is still expensive and only suitable for the mass market to a limited extent.
Nevertheless, the potential for electromobility is undisputed. Solid-state batteries promise longer ranges, shorter charging times and greater safety. These are all factors that regularly emerge as major concerns in surveys on the acceptance of electric cars.
While solid-state batteries dominate the headlines, a little-noticed technology is playing a crucial role in the background. TIMs, thermally conductive electrical insulators, fill microscopic air gaps in batteries and create thermal bridges that prevent overheating and provide electrical insulation at the same time.
The requirements for TIMs are constantly increasing. Modern electric cars are increasingly integrating battery cells directly into the car body instead of in separate boxes. Materials with better adhesion, higher strength and elasticity are therefore in demand. And, of course, they must also be recyclable due to international regulations. A race in which China is currently ahead. Swiss and European suppliers are struggling with the fast design cycles and price pressure from China.
What to do with batteries that are no longer suitable for electric cars but still have 80 per cent of their capacity? The answer lies in their secondary use as stationary storage units. The Swiss company Modual from Brunnen is pursuing this idea.
Since 2021, Modual has been converting disused batteries from electric cars and buses into storage systems for households with photovoltaic systems. The challenge is like Tetris for advanced players: batteries from different manufacturers and designs have to be combined to create a functioning storage system. Added to this is the integration with inverters and home control systems. After successful pilot installations, series production began in 2022, followed by scaling in 2024.
The vision goes even further, as the storage systems are set to become larger. Once such large storage systems are networked, a virtual power plant will be created that contributes to grid stability. In future, the batteries are to be converted into storage units where they are generated. This decentralised approach avoids emission-intensive transport.
however, electric cars can do much more than simply serve as battery suppliers for stationary storage. Bidirectional charging makes them active participants in the power grid themselves. The vehicles not only draw energy, but can also feed electricity back into the grid when needed and during peak loads.
The V2X project by Mobility and partners demonstrates the feasibility of the technology. 50 bidirectional vehicles at 40 locations make their bundled battery storage available to stabilise the electricity grids. However, they remain available to customers at all times. What works for car-sharing fleets should also be possible for private electric cars with longer idle times. However, this requires an adapted regulatory framework.
Despite all the innovations, the issue of raw materials remains controversial. Today, there is little transparency when it comes to batteries. This applies to the origin of the materials, residual capacity, charging cycles and ageing. The EU is therefore introducing a digital passport for batteries of two kilowatt hours or more from 2027. This will include around 100 static and dynamic data points for each individual battery.
The Biel-based start-up BloqSens is developing its own software solution for these digital passports. A blockchain-like internet protocol ensures decentralised data storage and controlled access along the value chain. Transparency benefits not only consumers, but also recycling companies, which receive important information on proper disposal.
A battery at the end of its service life harbours its own challenges. Shape, processing methods, components and signs of use vary greatly. Toxic vapours and fire hazards make dismantling a risky activity - ideal conditions for the use of robots.
However, conventional robots fail due to the complexity of the task. The Swiss Battery Technology Centre in Biel is therefore breaking new ground: In a virtual, photorealistic environment, AI-supported robots train to dismantle digital battery models. For safety reasons, the skills learnt are then tested and refined on dummy batteries before they are let loose on real disused vehicle batteries.
The Technology Outlook 2025, published by the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW on behalf of the Swiss Confederation, is the result of a two-year early identification process. 158 experts from 62 institutions were surveyed on 31 disruptive technologies that are expected to reach product maturity in three to five years.
The battery examples show that Switzerland has the scientific expertise and innovative companies to play a role in this promising market. However, global competition is intense. Whether for solid-state batteries, TIMs or digital passports, Chinese competition and rapid development cycles are putting pressure on domestic suppliers.
The challenge for Swiss industry and politics is to utilise existing strengths and improve scalability at the same time. Precision manufacturing technology, software expertise and innovative strength are important starting points. However, targeted measures are needed to generate economic success from this.
These include stronger partnerships between research institutions and industry in order to accelerate technology transfer. Pilot plants and demonstration projects can help to close the gap between the laboratory and mass production. Investment in specialised production infrastructure is also necessary, such as clean rooms for the production of solid-state batteries.
Last but not least, regulatory framework conditions play a decisive role. Incentives for bidirectional charging, clear standards for digital battery passports and support programmes for second-use applications can boost the market. Only through this coordinated effort can technological excellence also generate economic success in a market that is of central importance for the energy transition.
The Technology Outlook 2025 is available on the SATW website. The study is commissioned by the federal government every two years and serves as a compass for strategic work in industry and administration.
