The race to bring solid-state batteries (SSBs) to market is well and truly on. Effectively, the technology will bring greater range, faster charging, and improved safety by replacing the liquid electrolyte in EV batteries with a solid electrolyte. SSBs do already exist, but only in a very small form factor, and they are expensive. However, the Chinese auto conglomerate Geely believes it’s on track to deliver an SSB way ahead of the curve.
2027 May Be A Golden, But Expensive, Year
Geely Solid State BatteryGeely
According to Geely, its next-generation solid-state EV battery will reach an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg. For context, that would mean about twice the energy per kilogram of the most high-tech lithium-ion battery packs available right now. For example, Teslas you can currently buy have batteries in the 200-250 Wh/kg range.
On top of that, Geely claims the battery will last 1,000,000 kms (621,000 miles). Unfortunately for Geely, Toyota has just stolen that headline by guaranteeing an EV battery for the same lifespan.
A pack reaching 400 Wh/kg would be impressive, but 500 Wh/kg is Holy Grail territory. In essence, that would mean a car with a 300-mile range could pack a battery just half the size and weight of its existing pack. Conversely, keeping the same size would mean a car with 600 miles of range.
Pilot Deployment In 2027, But When Is It Available?
Geely humanoid robot and concept car at 2026 Beijing auto showGeely
Geely has announced pilot deployment in 2027, which is not the same as for sale in mainstream cars in 2027. According to Geely, the battery is in the real-world validation stage right now, but the company isn’t revealing any details about the chemistry. This isn’t surprising given the amount of competition there is to get SSBs to market first.
Geely’s brands include Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and Smart, as well as the Chinese brand Zeekr, so it’s not a small player. But for all automakers, building one that works is much different from scaling to a production line and commercially producing them for mainstream cars. In China, BYD and CATL are also targeting 2027, but specifically for “trial production.”
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
Dodge Charger Daytona testing with Factorial solid state batteriesStellantis
It certainly feels like every year we’re told SSBs will come to electric vehicles “next year.” The way things seem to be playing out is that we’ll see a range of companies starting production in 2029 and 2030, then catching up in 2031 and 2032. The most likely to get there first appears to be Toyota, which is targeting 2027–2028 for its first production model powered by an SSB pack. We say Toyota is most likely because the automaker tends not to overhype its technology, but has been consistently putting batteries in production cars since the Prius in 1997.
However, it’s no secret that Chinese firms have accelerated dramatically in developing EV technology to a point that’s worrying all the global automakers. But, whenever SSBs make it into production cars, they likely won’t be cheap to start with. SSBs will have their own technology cycle, which typically means costs will be high at first and take a while in production before becoming affordable enough for the mainstream.
Sources: Electrek / Car News China
