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New tech will make them lighter and boost their capacity, says BMW by  Mark Tisshaw BMW  expects a breakthrough in battery technology in 2026, by which time it plans to have solid-state batteries ready for production in its models. The batteries will use lithium ion technology but swap liquid electrolytes for solid ones, with initial targets being for a 15-20% increase in capacity. Other benefits include less weight and a reduction in the amount of safety protection needed due to the reduced fire risk. This also allows for the packaging and housing of the batteries to be revisited. The batteries are in development but 10 years away from production, with long-term durability testing cited as a key reason for the delay. The next development in the refinement of BMW’s existing battery technology will arrive in 2018 in time for the launch of the  Mini Cooper E  and the all-electric version of the next-generation  BMW X3 . BMW will continue to develop its internal combustion engin