China’s game-changing battery breakthrough

Solid-state batteries are almost here.

Chinese brand SAIC — which owns MG among other brands — has claimed it will start mass production of the futuristic cells in 2027.

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This will be followed by testing of solid-state battery powered vehicles in 2026 before a full-scale roll-out begins the following year.

The company previously stated the cells would have an energy density of 400Wh per kilogram, according to Chinese media. This is almost double the most energy dense batteries currently fitted to vehicles.

This could see electric vehicle range double or the weight significantly reduced as fewer battery cells are needed to deliver the same driving range as current vehicles.

SAIC also stated in reports that its solid-state batteries won’t catch fire after being punctured or if surrounding temperatures reach 200 degrees. 

They will also retain more than 90 per cent of energy in low temperatures. Current batteries are dramatically less efficient at low temperatures such as those experienced in the North Hemisphere.

MG’s parent company SAIC has been one of the most bullish on solid-state batteries, with many other major carmakers walking back plans for the next-generation cells.

Vice President of Chinese carmaker Changan, which owns the Deepal brand that is sold in Australia, and Chairman of DeepBlue Automotive Technology Deng Chenghao said the tech will not be commercialised this decade, according to Chinese media reports.

"Large-scale commercialisation in 2030 is definitely the most optimistic expectation, and my judgment is that it may be as late as 2035,” Chenghao said.

“I think there’s a lot of misinformation circulating online. Every small breakthrough in solid-state batteries or materials is amplified to an extreme degree, with everyone thinking it’s saved the world and brought about a new technology.

“That’s not the case. We need to view the development of solid-state batteries objectively and rationally. We still have a long way to go, so I don’t think we can force it,” he said.

Hyundai Group's head of global product planning Spencer Cho told US publication Automotive News earlier this year the technology is more complex than many realise.

“I don’t think we can commercialize these batteries before 2030,” said Cho.

“There is a lot of uncertainty about the progress of solid-state batteries."

These makers joined Audi and Toyota in expressing concern that solid state batteries might not ever happen at the scale needed.

Despite that nearly all carmakers are investing in the development of the future tech, and if SAIC’s claims are true then China is about to win the race comfortably.