Why future electric cars depend on better battery parts

Many people think the secret to better electric cars is a new kind of "juice" inside the battery. But experts at a meeting in Beijing say the real answer is in the "ends" of the battery, called cathodes. This month, scientists and car makers gathered at the third China solid-state battery innovation summit. They discussed why EVs are about to get a major upgrade. Professor Xia Dingguo from Peking University explained that while everyone talks about electrolytes, the cathode is the real boss of energy.

Since the early days, electric cars have used liquid electrolyte inside their batteries. Solid-state batteries are different because they use solid materials instead. People want them because they can hold more power, are safer, and last longer. But there is a catch. Without better cathodes, these batteries stay stuck in the lab. The industry is now racing to fix how these solid parts work better with each other - if they do not touch perfectly, the electricity cannot flow well.

One big problem is that some materials are too stiff. For example, oxide materials are like glass - they are very rigid. Other materials, like sulfides, need a lot of pressure to work. This makes them hard to build in a factory. Also, as these batteries charge and move, the materials grow and shrink. This small movement can cause cracks. When cracks happen, the battery stops working well. Scientists are testing "fluorine doping" to help, but even that only works for about 125 charges before the battery stops working.

Despite these problems, big companies are moving fast. CATL, the biggest battery maker in the world, is working on several designs at once. They have a "condensed-state" battery that is a mix of liquid and solid. This battery can hold 500 Wh/kg of energy. CATL plans to start testing these in vehicles by 2027. They are also building a pilot factory this year to make all-solid batteries that are almost as powerful.

BYD is another giant in the race. They are making a sulfide battery that uses a special silicon-based part. Their goal is a battery that holds 400 Wh/kg and can be charged 10,000 times. That is enough to last for the entire life of a car and then some. BYD is even building a massive 20 GWh factory in Chongqing. They want to show off these batteries in test cars before the year 2030.

Other companies are not far behind. Gotion High-Tech is working on the Jinshi battery. This prototype has an energy density of 360 Wh/kg and the company hopes to start making it in 2026. Ganfeng Lithium is trying a different path by using lithium-metal parts. Their batteries aim for 360 to 400 Wh/kg. Even though each company uses different chemicals, they all have the same goal: making electric cars go much further on a single charge.

Car brands like Geely and Chery are waiting for these batteries to be ready. Both companies plan to have "demonstration fleets" on the road by 2027. This means regular people might start seeing these cars in just a few years. State-owned companies like Dongfeng Motor and GAC Aion are also in the race. They are looking for batteries that do not catch fire easily and work well even in very cold weather.

The year 2026 is a big turning point. It is the year that factories move from making small samples to making enough batteries for real tests. While we might not see every car using these batteries tomorrow, the path is clear. High-end EVs will likely get the polymer batteries first, and cheaper cars will use safer, lower-cost versions. But it is pretty certain that by the end of this decade, the way we power our cars will look very different.

Via