Chery is already road-testing advanced solid-state battery

Automakers are constantly looking for ways to make electric cars go further on a single charge. One promising technology is the solid-state battery, and it appears Chinese carmaker Chery is making progress in this area. A test version of Chery’s Exlantix ET electric SUV was seen in China, sporting an "All-solid-state battery" sticker on its side and hinting at a major shift in how EVs are powered.

Solid-state batteries are different from the lithium-ion batteries found in most electric cars today. Instead of a liquid or gel electrolyte, they use a solid material. This seemingly small change can lead to higher energy density, meaning more power can be packed into a smaller, lighter battery. This is a big deal for electric cars, as it could lead to much longer driving ranges and faster charging times.

Chery is one of the EV companies that has set an ambitious goal: to be the first to have a 1 GWh production line for solid-state batteries. A gigawatt-hour is a massive amount of energy, enough to power many thousands of homes. The company announced these plans in October 2024, aiming to begin initial production by 2027.

The company predicts these new battery packs will have an energy density of 600 Wh/kg. To put that into perspective, the 2024 Tesla Model 3 with LFP battery has a 125 Wh/kg density. If Chery achieves this, it could allow their electric cars to travel an astounding 932 miles on a single charge.

The Exlantix ET, also known as the Exeed Sterra ET in its home market, was spotted near the headquarters of Gotion High-Tech, a battery maker that works with Volkswagen. This location is important because Chery and Gotion High-Tech have been working together. Chery owns nearly 10% of a company called Anhui Anwa New Energy Technology, while Gotion High-Tech holds almost 6% of the same company. In January 2024, Chery and Gotion also signed an official agreement to work together. This suggests a strong partnership in developing these advanced batteries.

While the "All-solid-state battery" label on the Exlantix ET is exciting, the exact details of the battery inside this specific test vehicle are not yet known. Gotion High-Tech recently announced that it completed testing of its own solid-state battery. Their cells have an energy density of 350 Wh/kg and a capacity of 70 Ah. Gotion believes this battery could power an electric car for up to 620 miles. It is very likely that the Exlantix ET seen in the photos has this Gotion solid-state battery.

This is a big step, showing that Chery is about to bring solid-state battery technology to its electric cars. However, the 350 Wh/kg energy density of Gotion’s battery is still far from Chery’s stated goal of 600 Wh/kg for its future production batteries. This means both Chery and Gotion still have a lot of work ahead to reach their most ambitious targets for these next-generation electric vehicle power sources.

Via