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China’s battery giants target EV and air taxi revolution with solid-state tech
China develops more than 60 percent of the world’s EVs as well as 80 percent of the batteries that power them.
Solid-state batteries have the potential to provide higher energy density while also being cheaper and safer than lithium-ion batteries.
The technology could improve electric vehicle performance and boost EV adoption, which has slowed down in the last year.
Last week, Chinese battery firm Ganfeng Lithium announced it had established a full-chain layout for solid-state batteries, a report from China Daily reveals. The new development reflects China’s ambitious plans to revolutionize electric transportation on the road and in the skies.
China’s battery innovators
Ganfeng Lithium has reportedly achieved 420 Wh/kg energy density with its existing products. The firm also developed samples reaching 500 Wh/kg.
It isn’t the only firm in China pushing the boundaries of solid-state battery innovation. In May, battery manufacturer Gotion High-Tech also started the first road tests for its next-gen all-solid-state batteries. This came after the company completed China’s first fully localized 0.2 gigawatt-hour pilot line.
Gotion High-Tech also launched the G-Yuan battery, which has a 300-watt-hours-per-kilogram energy density. According to Gotion chief scientist Zhu Xingbao, this battery will boost range and performance for new flying taxis, EVs, and humanoid robots.
CATL, meanwhile, reported this month that its solid-state batteries can achieve an energy density of 500 Wh/kg. The company is developing an electric commercial passenger aircraft.
According to the China Daily report, all of these companies aim to start mass producing their technologies by 2030. Small-scale demonstrations are expected by 2027.
Challenges remains
Solid-state batteries could determine the viability of flying eVTOL taxis. In November, another firm from China, EHang, launched a flight test of an eVTOL aircraft using solid-state batteries.
During those tests, it achieved a flight time of 48 minutes, representing a roughly 60 percent increase over previous tests.
However, there is still a long way to go. eVTOL taxis were expected to fly passengers for the first time at the Paris Olympics, courtesy of German firm Volocopter. The technology has hit a number of hurdles, key of which is high battery demand.
Electric vehicle sales, meanwhile, have slowed down in the last year. Many consumers have opted instead for hybrid vehicles, which combine internal combustion engines and electric motors. According to auto data firm Motor Intelligence, 1.9 million hybrid vehicles were sold in the US last year compared with 1.3 million all-electric models.
