- Range could top 621 miles, rivaling what a diesel tank delivers today.
- The new batteries will have a power density of up to 500 Wh/kg.
- Models from Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Volvo, and Polestar could get them first.
After waiting for what seems like an eternity, advanced solid-state batteries are getting closer to hitting the market. In news that shouldn’t surprise anyone, a major Chinese brand is set to be among the first to put the technology into customer cars on a pilot basis.
The company in question is Geely. It has spent years developing these new cells and has already begun testing them in prototypes. Its new packs will offer power densities of up to 500 Wh/kg, and starting next year, vehicles from within the broader Geely group will start to receive these batteries.
Read: Geely Wants To Be Like Toyota, But From China
Geely says vehicles equipped with its new solid-state batteries will offer driving ranges equivalent to more traditional diesel-powered cars, exceeding 621 miles (1,000 km) between charges. The new packs will be piloted across major Geely brands next year, including Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and Smart.
It’s not only exceptional energy density that promises to make Geely’s solid-state batteries a game-changer. The carmaker says these batteries will have a lifespan of up to 621,000 miles (1 million kilometers), quelling any fears about longevity, CarNewsChina reports. Although the new batteries are just around the corner, Geely hasn’t said whether it’ll be ready to start mass production of them next year, or whether buyers will actually be able to take delivery of a solid-state-equipped EV when pilot work is complete.
As the United States continues to impose heavy tariffs on cars from China, Geely’s solid-state batteries are unlikely to ever make their way stateside. However, this doesn’t mean solid-state batteries don’t also have the potential to revolutionize the American car industry.
Other automakers, including Stellantis and Karma, are already working with battery company Factorial on advanced solid-state batteries. Ford has solid-state work of its own underway, though its near-term money is going toward cheaper chemistries, lithium manganese rich (LMR) among them. GM is taking the same approach.
