Another Chinese auto giant completes solid-state battery development

Chinese automotive behemoth Great Wall Motors (GWM) announced breakthroughs in both solid-state battery and ultra-fast charging technologies. GWM has successfully produced solid-state pouch cells, meaning it's now completed the development and will focus on achiving large scale manufacturing.

Unlike today's widely used lithium-ion batteries, solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte with a solid material. This enables significantly higher energy density and faster charging .

Solid-state batteries boast better stability as well, making them less prone to overheating and potential fires — a long-standing safety concern in the EV world. They also function reliably across a wider temperature range, reducing the cold weather range loss.

While GWM waits for solid state production to reach the desired volumes the company is also exploring diverse battery chemistries, such as lithium iron phosphate, lithium manganese iron phosphate, cobalt-free, ternary, sodium-ion, and, of course, solid-state technologies.

Alongside solid-state progress, GWM is pushing the boundaries of charging speed. Its 4C supercharging battery cell promises to add a staggering 311 miles of range with just 10 minutes of charging. This nearly eliminates the time penalty for long-distance EV travel. The company is even developing a 6C cell, promising to further slash charging times.

Great Wall Motor's technological leaps will soon hit the showroom floor. The highly anticipated Tank 800, set to become the flagship model for its SUV-focused Tank brand, will debut by the end of the year. Additionally, the sleek Lightning Cat sedan will receive a mid-cycle refresh in the year's second half, suggesting updates that could incorporate the latest battery technology.

Via