Chinese power battery giant CATL has ramped up its investment in the development of all-solid-state batteries, expanding its R&D team for this technology to over 1,000 people, according to a recent report from LatePost. CATL has reportedly entered the trial production phase of 20 Ah samples, signaling a critical step forward in bringing all-solid-state battery technology to market, potentially accelerating commercialization timelines.
Focused on the Sulfide Route with Higher Energy Density
CATL is currently concentrating on the sulfide route for all-solid-state batteries and has achieved the trial production of 20 Ah samples. The company’s solution boasts an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg, which is over 40% higher than that of current lithium batteries. However, the charging speed and cycle life still require further optimization to meet market expectations.
According to the report, all-solid-state battery prototypes typically start with a capacity of 1 Ah and gradually increase to 10 Ah and 20 Ah as they move through different development stages. At the 20 Ah stage, the battery solution is essentially finalized and ready for exploration of production technology, laying the groundwork for potential small-batch production in the coming years.
Targeting Small-Batch Production by 2027
At the China International Battery Fair (CIBF 2024) in April, CATL’s chief scientist Wu Kai stated that the company had established a verification platform for 10 Ah all-solid-state batteries, making significant technological advances in cathode and anode materials, processes, and manufacturing equipment. Wu also announced that CATL aims to achieve small-scale production of all-solid-state batteries by 2027, marking the first time the company publicly disclosed a timeline for mass production.
CATL has assigned a technology maturity scale from 1 to 9 for all-solid-state batteries, with the current stage rated at 4. The goal is to reach a maturity level of 7-8 by 2027, which would enable small-batch production, although large-scale commercialization will still face challenges, especially in terms of cost.
Intense Competition in the Solid-State Battery Market
As the advantages of all-solid-state batteries become increasingly apparent, several major companies, including Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis, have intensified their investments in this area. CATL’s chairman, Robin Zeng, highlighted in September that the company’s research in all-solid-state battery technology is “second to none,” underscoring its technological leadership.
Data from CnEVPost shows that CATL holds a dominant 36.7% share of the global EV battery market through September 2024, with China’s BYD ranking second at 16.4%. BYD is also planning to introduce solid-state batteries, and at the September 2024 World New Energy Congress, BYD’s chief scientist Lian Yubo suggested that solid-state EV batteries could see widespread use within the next five years.
CATL began exploring all-solid-state batteries in 2016, but only significantly increased its R&D investment in late 2022. Industry insiders estimate that CATL’s annual expenditure on salaries for its all-solid-state battery R&D team is around RMB 1 billion, reflecting the company’s strong commitment to advancing this technology.
