Solid-state batteries are widely considered to be the next big thing in EV technology. Lighter and safer than lithium-ion batteries, they promise to improve electric vehicles in a number of ways, but they might not make them faster.
At least, that’s what Maserati’s Davide Danesin, who led the development of the GranTurismo, both as an internal combustion vehicle, and in its all-electric “Folgore” guise. He recently told Autonews Europe that solid-state batteries aren’t able to give EVs the lightning-fast acceleration times we’ve come to expect from them.
“[Solid-state batteries] have a more favorable power-to-weight ratio,” Danesin said. “But their discharge time is not quick enough to supply energy to three electric motors with the desired performance.”
Read: New Maserati GranTurismo Debuts In ICE-Powered And EV Forms
Although a good power-to-weight ratio is sometimes considered to be the gold standard for performance vehicles, for EVs, manufacturers have been quick to trade weight for power. And that has led to blistering acceleration times that impress the vast majority of consumers.
That sacrifice is what led Maserati to opt for a three-motor setup in the GranTurismo Folgore, instead of the Porsche Taycan’s solution of adding another gear. Although it may weigh more, it means that the GranTurismo can hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.7 seconds, whereas the Taycan Turbo S takes 2.8 seconds to reach the same speed.
Beyond simply providing the Maserati with faster acceleration times, it also means that the coupe has a higher top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h) than the Porsche, which tops out at 161 mph (260 km/h).
That means that Maserati is unlikely to be the Stellantis brand that leads the way with solid-state batteries, despite the conglomerate’s plans to introduce the technology in 2026. Lithium-ion batteries still have a place in their performance vehicles for the foreseeable future.
