CATL solid-state EV battery cell with 500 Wh/kg energy density enters trial production

The world's biggest EV and energy storage battery maker CATL has started sample validation of 20Ah solid-state EV battery cells based on its sulfide technology research.

CATL initially scoffed at the claims of fast solid-state battery commercialization, saying that it has years of R&D in the field, and still doesn't think that they will be ready for the mass market before 2030 due to high production costs.

It has seen corrected this timeframe, saying that solid-state batteries may be ready to go into premium electric vehicles in 2027, and it will have its own cells with all-solid electrolyte to offer EV makers then.

To make this happen, CATL has reportedly directed 1,000 of its engineers to work on the solid-state battery project, and has achieved an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, nearly twice that of cells in mainstream electric vehicles.

It still has to iron out kinks when it comes to charging speed and cycles, tip insiders, hence the sample validation stage for its 20Ah solid-state battery cells which are of the type that EV packs consist of.

After the charging and lifespan specifications are met, CATL will have to deal with production engineering and manufacturing capacity scaling, which are actually its strongest points.

CATL is not the only company piloting solid-state battery production, as BYD, Toyota, Samsung, and others are also advancing with their own projects, but it is the most capable. Its chairman recently claimed that CATL's solid-state battery technology is way ahead of the competition, and, given that it has entered the sample validation stage of EV-grade cells, he might not be exaggerating.

The common denominator among most companies that have announced their own solid-state battery projects is that they say the packs will be ready to go into electric vehicles in 2027. Toyota, however, warned that the solid-state batteries would still cost more than the current ternary lithium cells with liquid electrolyte, so they'd initially be used for premium electric vehicles in its luxury Lexus line.

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