The battle for cheaper, more efficient and safer electric vehicle batteries is heating up among automakers.

At the heart of this battle, the development of solid-state battery technology, an alternative to highly flammable and expensive lithium batteries, is receiving increasing attention.

As proof, Stellantis, the world’s fourth largest automobile manufacturer, is banking on technology for its next generation of electric vehicles.

The company based in the Netherlands announcement that it will launch a demonstration fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona electric vehicles featuring solid-state battery technology made by a US start-up Factorial.

The demonstration fleet, scheduled to launch by 2026, will provide a real-world assessment of Factorial’s technology, the companies said. Factorial has partnered with Stellantis since 2021 and also partners with companies like Mercedes Benz and Daimler AG’s Hyundai.

Besides Dodge, the technology would eventually be deployed on Stellantis’ STLA Large multi-energy platform, which includes brands such as Jeep, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Maserati.

Stellantis said the integration of solid-state battery technology will lead to “improved performance, longer ranges and faster charging times in the years to come.”

Factorial, meanwhile, claims its technology offers higher energy density, reduced weight, improved performance and the potential to further reduce total vehicle cost over time.

Stellantis, Daimler and Hyundai are not the only ones betting on solid-state battery technology: Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, has heavily invested in technology. It also created a coalition with Nissan and Panasonic to increase its production in Japan.

Until now, manufacturing solid-state batteries has remained a costly endeavor, industry experts say. But measures such as Stellantis’ demonstration fleet and large-scale production by Factorial are expected to improve manufacturing processes and costs over time.

Meanwhile, other automakers are working on ways to improve lithium batteries. Volkswagen, for its part, is developing its own unified battery cell in several European factories as well as in a factory in Ontario, Canada.