- In October, the carmaker will introduce its first model with a semi-solid-state battery.
- Several other car companies want to launch solid-state batteries this decade, including Toyota and Nissan.
- In February, a consortium of Chinese firms was launched to build a supply chain for solid-state batteries.
Chinese car manufacturer SAIC says it will start mass producing solid-state battery packs around 2026, meaning it could be the first automaker to commercialize the new form of batteries.
During a recent technology event in China, SAIC said it would start deliveries of the new IM L7 sedan in October. This car features semi-solid-state batteries using a liquid electrolyte and other products from SAIC will get similar batteries in 2025, including models from MG, Baojun, and Wuling. However, it will be in 2026 when things get exciting.
Read: Toyota’s First Solid-State Battery EV With 750-Mile Range Coming In A Couple Of Years
True solid-state batteries are viewed by many as the next step in electric vehicles and SAIC is targeting mass production of them in 2026, Shine reports. It’s unclear which of SAIC’s dizzying array of models will be the first launched with a solid-state battery or if the new pack could debut in an all-new model.
SAIC is far from the only Chinese car manufacturer working on solid-state batteries. In February, a consortium of local brands, including CATL, BYD, CALB, Nio, and others, was formed to build a supply chain for solid-state batteries by 2030.
Toyota has also been working on the technology for many years and holds more patents on solid-state batteries than any other company. It is working with oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan on the new packs and will launch its first EV with a solid-state pack in a couple of years. It plans to increase production to the tens of thousands by 2030. In April, Nissan said it too is well progressed on solid-state batteries and plans to start launching EVs with them by the 2028 fiscal year.
SAIC isn’t just working on solid-state batteries. During the same technology event in China, the company said it has upgraded its full-stack technology solution for intelligent vehicles and will develop a new platform with Audi for the Chinese market.
