The automotive industry loves a buzzword – and while autonomous driving was a big deal a few years ago, it has now been replaced by virtual assistants and AI-enabled infotainment features.
But arguably the longest-standing topic for those with a keen interest in electric vehicles is the solid-state battery (SSB) and its promise of greater energy density, improved range and faster charging times.
With SSBs, automotive manufacturers can engineer smaller and lighter battery packs, without negatively impacting the distance between charge stops, while these energy-dense options better suit smaller applications, such as motorcycles.
Just to recap on the science, a solid-state battery replaces the typical liquid electrolyte found in most electric vehicles – including lithium-ion and other current chemistries – and replaces it with a solid electrolyte. Or at least a gel, as is the case with semi-solid state batteries like those found in the upcoming MG4.
Common solid-state electrolytes include polymer-based alternatives, oxide variations and even sulphide-based solutions, which seem to be winning the race for mass production based on a variety of factors.
But before we fall too far down the science lesson rabbit hole, it is worth noting that the conversation around solid-state batteries has bubbled to the surface because a greater number of recognized automotive manufacturers are now exploring the technology.
“The past few years have seen breakthroughs in solid electrolytes, manufacturing know-how and partnerships between start-ups and OEMs,” explains Dr. Kieran O’Regan, Chief Growth Officer at About:Energy, a company that specializes in data and modeling to help accelerate battery commercialization.
The trajectory resembles the early lithium-ion era, where sustained incremental progress rather than a single big bang moment drove commercialization.
Dr. Kieran O’Regan, Chief Growth Officer at About:Energy
“However, the real accelerators now may be in parallel markets. Some developers, like Factorial Energy, are intentionally focusing on niche applications such as premium consumer electronics, aerospace or specialty vehicles to prove their economics and reliability before going fully automotive,” he adds.
Mercedes-Benz saw early promise in Factorial’s work and has recently completed a staggering 749-mile trip on a single charge with an EQS prototype fitted out with Factorial Energy’s lithium metal solid-state battery packs.
So far, the German automotive giant has proven that these packs allow for up to 25% more driving range compared to the same battery weight and size of a corresponding standard EQS battery. Now, it just has to be able to produce them at scale.
Better, Faster, Stronger
Another key benefit of solid-state battery technology is its ability to charge faster. With generally higher ionic conductivity and more thermal stability, engineers can experiment with much higher charging rates without the risk of thermal runaway – or massive overheating, in simple terms.
Huawei says that its SSB technology, which “dopes” sulfide electrolytes with nitrogen to improve performance, can safely charge 10%-to-80% in less than five minutes, while its monstrously energy dense packs could, theoretically, offer a range of 1,800 miles.
This is borderline pie-in-the-sky stuff, but Korean battery manufacture SK On, which supplies Hyundai, Kia, Ford and Nissan and more, claims that it already has prototype solid-state cells that could offer double the energy density of today’s EV batteries, resulting in a range of 600-odd miles with ease.
Similarly, Mercedes-Benz is hedging its bets by working with a number of potential battery suppliers to fast-track the technology into one of its upcoming EVs.
Farasis Energy, a company backed by the German automaker, claims that it is building a 0.2GWh pilot line for the new sulfide-based solid-state batteries, with deliveries starting by the end of this year, according to Electrek.
That’s relatively small-fry, considering China’s largest battery-maker, CATL, deployed a staggering 339.3GWh in 2024, but it is a step in the right direction.
Small but mighty
Just this month, the FIM (the body that looks after motorcycle racing) released a statement that said its pioneering Moto E electric motorcycle race would go on hiatus until the end of 2025 – citing poor fan engagement and the limited “development of the electric performance motorcycle market”.
With higher ionic conductivity and more thermal stability, engineers can experiment with much higher charging rates without the risk of thermal runaway.
It was a blow to racing and electric motorcycles as a whole, but it hasn’t stopped the VW Group from coming out fighting. At the IAA Mobility Show in Munich this year, it showcased a high-performance V21L race motorcycle with a solid-state battery from QuantumScape and VW’s own PowerCo.
The idea is that this battery can charge from 10% to 80% in just over 12 minutes and discharge at much higher rates for improved performance, equating to a greater spectacle on the track.
Better still, these SSBs are lighter and more compact, yet boast greater energy density than the packs they replace, which is a win-win in the world of e-motorsports.
If proven on the race circuit, this technology could then feed into a number of automotive applications, including lightweight electric sports cars that have long been promised but have so far failed to materialize due to the excessive weight penalty today’s battery packs carry.
“The next step is improvements in manufacturing, and then chasing lithium-ion’s low cost. That will unlock radically different experiences for consumers,” explain Dr Ian Campbell, CEO of Breathe Battery Technologies.
“For the EV engineers, it will create a whole new set of exciting software challenges to simulate and manage the new chemistry, so every solution will feel like a breakthrough rather than fine tuning,” he adds.
On solid ground
While solid-state battery technology has been hailed as a true turning point for electric vehicles, getting to the point of cost-effective mass production isn’t an easy task.
“Scaling from pilot lines to even thousands of packs per year remains the bottleneck,” explains Dr. Kieran O’Regan.
“The leap from cells built in the lab to automotive-grade packs at millions of units per year is proving slower and more expensive than initially forecast.
“Over the next decade, we can expect more demonstrator vehicles and niche deployments rather than widespread EV adoption. The trajectory resembles the early lithium-ion era, where sustained incremental progress rather than a single big bang moment drove commercialization,” he adds.
Despite a number of big-name Chinese brands claiming they will have mass-produced EVs with SSB technology by 2026, it is more likely these will feature a semi-solid state chemistry, which is exactly the halfway house it suggests.
Using a gel rather than a pure liquid introduces a number of benefits, including increased energy density, faster charging speeds and improvements in safety, but it’s not the mind-blowing headline figures we have seen published.
Chinese-owned MG, for example, will launch its new MG4 model globally later this year and it promises 333 miles from its semi solid-state battery packs. Range is not much beyond what we expect to see from today’s premium EVs, but this is in a car that will go on sale in China for less than $14,000 (around £11,000 / AU$21,000).
Battery technology is improving on an almost monthly basis, with each generation of new electric vehicle offering better range and more convenient fast-charging speeds. It’s only a matter of time before solid-state batteries become commonplace.
“Over the next five years, the combination of niche-market success, public-private funding and clearer supply chain pathways for solid electrolytes could finally shift solid-state batteries from hype to a credible, phased rollout in mainstream EVs,” adds Dr. Kieran O’Regan, Chief Growth Officer at About:Energy. And that will be a race that could ultimately make all EV owners feel like winners.
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