BMW, in collaboration with Solid Power and Samsung SDI, is working on developing a solid state EV battery that replaces the conventional liquid electrolyte with solid materials, offering benefits such as increased safety, lighter weight, longer lifespan, and improved performance for electric vehicles. Other companies like QuantumScape and Toyota are also making advancements in this area, with a focus on using earth-abundant materials like sulfides as an alternative to ceramics in solid state batteries. The US is working on securing its EV battery supply chain, including extracting critical materials like lithium from oil and gas drilling wastewater, with ARPA-E launching a $25 million funding round for new extraction technologies. Columbia University has received funding to recover lithium and magnesium from wastewater, highlighting the importance of sustainable energy storage solutions. Solid Power's contribution of a sulfide-based electrolyte to the new solid state EV battery demonstrates ongoing efforts towards more efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions.