BYD solid-state battery: 932 mi range and 12 minutes charging time as target

According to Electrek, Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD has been working on developing solid-state batteries for more than a decade now. It plans to equip its first demonstration vehicles with the technology starting in 2027, with series production scheduled for 2030.

Rumors about range and charging time

The Driven reports on unofficial test data in this context, according to which the solid-state batteries could reach an energy density of around 400 Wh/kg and enable ranges of up to 932 miles/1,500 kilometers with a charging time of just twelve minutes.

Solid-state batteries: Technological background

Solid-state batteries are considered to be the next stage of energy storage. A solid electrolyte replaces the traditional liquid electrolyte, enabling higher energy density, faster charging times and significantly improved safety. Solid electrolytes prevent liquids from leaking or evaporating and reduce the risk of thermal runaway and the associated fire hazard. According to Electrek, BYD was already testing prototype cells with capacities of 20 Ah and 60 Ah in 2024.

Rumors about road tests

The Driven also reports that BYD has already equipped test vehicles with solid-state batteries, including the Seal model. The batteries used are said to reach energy densities of 400 Wh/kg. By comparison, conventional lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries have approximately 160–180 Wh/kg, common nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells approximately 220–260 Wh/kg, and advanced NMC variants up to 300 Wh/kg. An energy density of 400 Wh/kg would almost double the capacity per kilogram and enable significantly longer ranges with the same vehicle weight.

European manufacturers

European manufacturers such as Mercedes and BMW are also already testing solid-state batteries on the road. While Mercedes is working with partners such as ProLogium, BMW is developing its own prototypes with Solid Power. BYD may get a head start in the industrialization of the technology owing to its close integration of research, production and vehicle construction.

Ambitious targets for solid-state batteries

Whether the ambitious values ​​of 932 miles/1,500 kilometers of range and twelve minutes of charging time will actually be achieved remains to be seen. Even if the actual values ​​turn out to be lower, the solid-state battery developed by BYD would represent a technological advance for electromobility if it achieves the announced cost parity with today's lithium-ion batteries.