Depending on the selected technology, the values are around 400 Wh/kg. How will solid-state batteries develop in the future? Companies such as ProLogium from Taiwan have been announcing their intentions to mass-produce solid-state batteries since 2021. The goal was to enter the market by 2023.
A batch of automakers and battery firms have announced solid progress has been made in that direction. Battery maker Sunwoda told China Daily that it has finished R&D of its all-solid-state battery with an energy density of more than 400 Wh/kg, and plans to mass-produce it by 2026, with an estimated production capacity of 1 gigawatt-hour.
The announced production is clearly dominated by China, followed by Europe, Asia and the USA. Other companies have also declared their intention to participate in the production of solid-state batteries in the coming years, but have not announced exact dates.
Many industry executives agree that solid-state’s constituent technologies will gradually be integrated into today’s batteries. CATL appears to be planning to do exactly that, unveiling in April a new “condensed”, or “semi-solid-state”, battery with double the energy density of current models.
Solid-state batteries differ from current lithium-ion cells in that the electrolyte is solid instead of liquid. Different materials, including polymers, oxides and sulphides, are being tested as potential electrolytes. Cars using solid-state batteries would be far safer, as liquid electrolytes can be at more risk of fires.
Other companies have also declared their intention to participate in the production of solid-state batteries in the coming years, but have not announced exact dates. These include large companies such as AESC (until 2027), LGES (from 2030), Samsung SDI (from 2027), SVOLT (until 2030) and Lition (from 2025).