BYD details solid-state battery EV launch and accident insurance for its FSD rival

BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li has confirmed that the world's biggest electric car maker plans to put a vehicle equipped with solid-state battery technology on the road in 2027, timing it with the launch schedule of the other battery juggernaut, CATL.

Li said BYD holds a leading position in both the chemistry itself and the ability to commercialize it, though she stopped short of naming a model, a launch quarter, or performance figures. BYD's battery arm, FinDreams, is developing an inorganic sulfide electrolyte using materials such as lithium, phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine, with energy density approaching 400 Wh/kg.

Moving from cells to automotive packs is a different matter, though, as contact between solid electrodes tends to degrade with expansion and contraction, while some designs require constant mechanical pressure, and moisture exposure can trigger hydrogen sulfide release. Small batch trials of around 1,000 vehicles are expected near 2027, likely on premium platforms such as the Yangwang supercars or the top-shelf Denza models, with full scale production not arriving until around 2030. On last count, CATL was also skeptical that solid-state batteries can land in mass electric vehicles before the end of the decade, so BYD's commercialization timeframe checks out.

Toyota and Samsung SDI are both targeting vehicles with solid-state batteries around 2027, too, so an early date from any single company doesn't guarantee an early lead.

Li offered details on plenty beyond batteries, though. BYD is rolling out over 1 megawatt "flash charging" stations in China and Europe, aiming for more than 3,000 sites by early next year, with charging times as low as 5 minutes to get from 20 to 80 percent capacity on BYD's MW-grade EV architecture. Those who buy a BYD vehicle in the top-tier Denza line will also get 18 months of free charging there.

Perhaps the boldest claim came on assisted driving, though. Li said BYD will cover all costs if an accident occurs while its Level 2 assisted driving system is engaged, a guarantee she claims is unique in the industry. She was equally blunt about combustion engines, stating there's simply no future for them in China, adding that BYD now views battery production capacity, not demand, as its main bottleneck.

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