Advanced solid-state batteries a mutual ambition of carmakers

Improved technology: SAIC’s electric marque, IM Motors, started pre-sales of the L6 sedan last week, highlighting its so-called super-fast charging solid-state battery. Sedans with the battery will be priced below 330,000 yuan, the carmaker says. — Bloomberg

BEIJING: Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers are rapidly adopting solid-state batteries in their latest models, with industry experts anticipating full use of this superior solution for the next generation of batteries by 2030.

SAIC’s electric marque, IM Motors, started pre-sales of the L6 sedan last week, highlighting its so-called super-fast charging solid-state battery. Sedans with the battery will be priced below 330,000 yuan, the carmaker announced.

The battery in the L6 is technically a semi-solid-state one, integrating both liquid and solid electrolytes.

Supplied by Qingtao Energy Development, a solid-state lithium battery provider backed by SAIC, the battery operates at a maximum of 900 volts, enabling the L6 to achieve a peak charging power of 400 kilowatts, enough for 400 km in 12 minutes.

Citic Securities commented after the launch that the L6 could potentially usher in an era of affordable semi-solid-state batteries. As semi-solid-state batteries become widely used, it is anticipated that top solid-state battery manufacturers and the industry chain will benefit.

Li Zheng, general manager of Qingtao Energy, outlined their solid-state battery’s industrialisation process in three steps. There is the first generation, termed the semisolid-state battery, which is currently installed and mass-produced on the IM L6.

Following this is the second generation of solid-state battery, projected to be developed by 2025. The ultimate goal is to achieve the third generation, the fully solid-state battery, although Li did not specify a time frame.

Switching from liquid to solid-state electrolytes offer benefits like increased battery energy density, as solids have higher density and smaller volume compared to liquids; enhanced safety by reducing fire risks and improving puncture resistance; and extending battery life span by minimising degradation during charge-discharge cycles.

Ouyang Minggao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, forecast at a solid-state battery conference in January that fully solid-state batteries will achieve industrialisation by 2030.

Ouyang said that fully solid-state batteries are widely acknowledged as a preferred solution for the next generation of batteries and represent a crucial strategic advantage in the competition for next-generation battery technologies. — China Daily/ANN