Patent ID: 8357464

Claim:
A vehicle propulsion system comprising a plurality of solid state rechargeable battery cells configured to power a drivetrain, the system comprising: a stack of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell formed overlying the surface of a rolled substrate, said electrochemical cell having an overall thickness of less than 50 microns, said electrochemical cell comprising: a rolled substrate less than 10 microns in thickness along a shortest axis, the rolled substrate comprising a surface region; a positive electrode material comprised of a transition metal oxide or a transition metal phosphate, the positive electrode material characterized by a thickness between 0.5 micron and 50 microns; a solid state layer of a ceramic, polymer, or glassy material configured for conducting lithium or magnesium ions during a charge and discharge process, the solid state layer characterized by a thickness between 0.1 micron and 5 microns; and a negative electrode material configured for electrochemical insertion or plating of ions during the charge and discharge process, the negative electrode material characterized by a thickness between 0.5 micron and 50 microns; and an electrically conductive material coupled with the positive electrode material and free from contact with the negative electrode material; wherein said layers of positive and negative electrode materials each have a total surface area greater than 0.5 meters; wherein the rolled substrate is made of at least a polymer, a metal, a semiconductor, or an insulator; whereupon the positive electrode material comprises a positive electrode layer; the negative electrode material comprises a negative electrode layer; and the electrically conductive material comprises an electrically conductive layer; and whereupon the plurality of electrochemical cells, each of the electrochemical cells comprising the positively electrode layer, the solid state layer, the negative electrode layer, are continuously wound or stacked.