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Miao Wei, a Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference: Solid-State Battery Mass Production Faces Three Major Challenges
Recently, Miao Wei, a Standing Committee Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and former Minister of Industry and Information Technology, stated at the Second China All-Solid-State Battery Innovation and Development Summit Forum that the industrialization of solid-state batteries still needs to address issues related to technology, processes, and costs. Current global advancements in solid-state battery research and development indicate that mass production technologies are yet to mature, with small-scale production expected around 2027.
Electric vehicles are a breakthrough for China’s automotive industry, transforming from a follower to a leader and serving as a key driver for industrial transformation and upgrading. Power batteries are the most crucial components of electric vehicles, with solid-state batteries identified as a key technological innovation in this sector, essential for the high-quality development of China’s electric vehicle industry.
Miao Wei highlighted that while solid-state batteries offer significant advantages in safety and energy density, their path toward industrialization is fraught with challenges.
Three Challenges for Solid-State Batteries: Technology, Process, and Cost
Solid-state batteries boast clear advantages over conventional liquid batteries in terms of safety and energy density, potentially addressing two major pain points in electric vehicle range and safety, and becoming a focal point in global battery competition. Traditional automotive powerhouses in Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea attach great importance to the research and industrialization of all-solid-state batteries, aiming to leapfrog China’s power battery industry.
Internationally, Toyota in Japan anticipates that solid-state batteries will enter practical use between 2027 and 2028, with mass production expected post-2030. South Korea’s Samsung plans to commence mass production in 2027. Domestically, companies like SAIC, GAC, Chery, and BYD have announced timelines for their solid-state battery mass production, while CATL focuses on the sulfide route, currently developing 20Ah prototypes, with small-scale production projected for 2027.
Miao Wei stated that, overall, all-solid-state batteries will require two to three more years before mass production can be realized. Many companies claiming to have produced and installed solid-state batteries are primarily using semi-solid batteries.
He emphasized the three primary obstacles to achieving large-scale production of solid-state batteries: the maturity of technology, production processes, and high costs. Miao Wei clarified, “It is important to clarify that semi-solid batteries still fall under the category of liquid batteries and should not be confused with solid-state batteries. Liquid batteries cannot simply transition to solid-state by reducing the amount of electrolyte; these are entirely different concepts.” He believes that based on the current global solid-state battery research and development progress, the technology and processes are not yet mature, and small-scale production is expected around 2027, with large-scale production taking even longer.
Currently, the unit cost of liquid lithium-ion batteries is approximately 0.5 yuan per watt-hour. In contrast, the cost of solid-state batteries remains relatively high without large-scale production, with material costs exceeding 2 yuan per watt-hour. A 100-kilowatt battery pack has material costs exceeding 200,000 yuan, significantly higher than existing liquid batteries. “Therefore, for a considerable time, liquid and solid-state batteries are likely to coexist in the market rather than replace one another.”
Battery Swapping: A New Path to Solve Charging Difficulties
In addition to solid-state battery development, Miao Wei also mentioned the battery swapping model for electric vehicles as an effective solution to difficulties related to charging speed and accessibility. He pointed out that battery swapping is a crucial measure for enhancing electric vehicle energy replenishment. This model represents a new technology, business format, and model for energy supply infrastructure for electric vehicles, becoming a significant alternative to charging methods.
On one hand, battery swapping can alleviate charging difficulties and slow charging, especially in scenarios such as highways, public transport vehicles, long-distance heavy trucks, and mining or port heavy trucks. On the other hand, it can foster innovation in business models, including vehicle-battery separation, lowering user purchase costs, addressing second-hand vehicle depreciation issues, and promoting interaction between vehicles and energy systems.
Miao Wei stated that battery swapping is a capital-intensive, high-investment, long-cycle approach requiring enhanced collaboration among industries and enterprises. Battery companies need to cooperate not only with automotive manufacturers but also with financial and insurance industries, while also increasing technological research and innovation in business models to achieve sustainable development. Battery swapping can improve charging efficiency and, through vehicle-battery separation, lower consumer vehicle acquisition costs while also helping to enhance the resale value of used vehicles.
Companies like NIO and BAIC have already explored this area, while CATL has proposed ambitious plans for establishing a wide battery swapping network to promote healthy development in the electric vehicle market.
Battery Recycling: An Unavoidable Social Responsibility
By 2024, the cumulative sales of new energy vehicles in China are expected to reach 38.32 million units, with the installed capacity of power batteries reaching 1,652 GWh, and the comprehensive utilization of waste batteries reaching 301,000 tons, roughly accounting for 10% of the new resource volume. The volume of retired power batteries will rise annually, with projections of 377,000 tons and 1.06 million tons of retired batteries in 2025 and 2030, respectively.
“Currently, the large number of retired power batteries has not resulted in significant societal issues. Most materials, such as positive and negative electrode materials, electrolytes, and various metals, are effectively recycled, except for battery separators. The primary issue is that individual waste recyclers are collecting numerous retired batteries while legitimate recycling companies struggle to obtain enough.” Miao Wei called for the establishment of a robust power battery recycling system to ensure the proper handling of waste batteries. He specifically noted that frequent activities by informal battery recycling channels hinder legitimate recycling companies from acquiring sufficient retired batteries, impacting resource recycling and posing safety hazards.
Miao Wei suggested expanding the scope of battery recovery to include electric bicycles and electric motorcycles, creating a multi-channel coordinated recycling system for different types of batteries; increasing investment to support key technological research and application in battery recycling, and promoting market mechanisms to empower leading enterprises in the industry.
Solid-state batteries, as one of the core technologies for electric vehicles, face many challenges but also present immense opportunities. Meanwhile, the improvement of battery swapping models and recycling systems will provide solid support for the sustainable development of the electric vehicle industry.
Miao Wei hopes that all stakeholders will work together to promote the healthy and rapid development of the electric vehicle sector, contributing to the goal of becoming a strong automotive nation.
