Solid-State EV Battery Tech Inches Closer to Reality

The biggest news on this topic over the past week or so, however, wasn’t from an automaker or a battery firm – it was from the Chinese government. China has a new five-year plan for the battery industry, which includes large-scale deployment (not merely small fleets) by 2030. The plan also includes supply chain security, industry consolidation, recycling, and a digital identity management system (similar to the EU’s battery passport). The government is also promoting development of sodium-ion batteries and ultra-fast-charging technology.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is operating full speed ahead, with their R&D chief noting, “You cannot give up right now on that. That’s clear… You must be in the game … We want to be the owner of this core technology, and that’s the reason why we’re also investing in our own battery manufacturing.” They don’t appear to be quite as aggressive as the Chinese, however, noting the challenges surrounding raw material costs.

China’s Gotion – which counts VW Group as a key backer—also announced aggressive targets for their solid-state batteries, including power density of 400 Wh/kg (compared to 260 Wh/kg on the current Tesla Model Y) and a cost of $150/kWh (about double the current price of low-cost LFP batteries).

BYD has announced plans to put solid-state batteries into a production vehicle next year – and rumors suggest it will be a Rolls-Royce-challenging full-size luxury sedan under the Yangwang brand, which has already been spotted testing.

Finally, Mercedes, who has already been testing solid-state technology with U.S. company Factorial Energy, has signed an agreement with Taiwan’s ProLogium (who are planning a large-scale plant in France). The German automaker will perform electrical, thermal, and safety testing on ProLogium’s Gen4 lithium ceramic battery cells.

There are other automakers that have also specifically spelled out plans to roll out solid-state batteries, both startups and legacy automakers. While there are a variety of challenges ahead, it looks like progress is being made, slowly but surely.

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