CATL is moving forward with 20-hour battery prototypes for solid-state batteries.
According to Chinese media, CATL has advanced the development of its solid-state battery from a 10-Ah class validation platform to testing with 20-Ah prototypes. The company still aims for pilot production in 2027, targeting an energy density of around 500 Wh/kg.
Image: CATL
Several Chinese websites report that this week, in response to investor inquiries, CATL posted an update on its solid-state battery development on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s government-regulated online communication platform (“Hudongyi Platform”). According to this update, testing with 20-Ah prototypes is currently underway, with pilot production still scheduled for 2027.
CATL also states that the development team working on this project comprises over 1,000 employees, and that the program aims to achieve an energy density at the cell level of around 500 Wh/kg. However, Car News China notes that CATL has not explicitly confirmed this figure as a specification for mass-produced cells — “nor has it provided any details regarding expected trial production, potential customers, or a timeline for market launch with these cells. The Chinese battery manufacturer still targets mass production around 2030.”
Solid-state batteries are widely regarded as the promising solution for the next generation of energy storage. Their key feature is the replacement of the liquid or gel-like electrolyte in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte based on sulfides, polymers, or oxides. This is intended to improve fire safety, increase energy density, reduce charging times, extend battery life, and boost the range of electric vehicles.
Not much is yet known about CATL’s technological approach. Unconfirmed reports suggest the company focuses primarily on sulfide-based solid-state batteries. However, CATL has not disclosed the design of the anodes it aims to use.
In addition to CATL, companies like BYD and Toyota, as well as promising startups such as Factorial or QuantumScape, are driving technological development forward. However, CATL CEO Robin Zeng warned back in June that technical and manufacturing hurdles mean the widespread use of solid-state batteries in the mass market is likely to take several more years, with volume production not expected until 2030. Moreover, Zeng said solid-state batteries will probably only be installed in premium automotive platforms for now.
CATL also stated in June that solid-state technology is currently at stage four of a nine-stage Technology Readiness Level scale. This classification specifically means that CATL was still focused on laboratory validation and prototype development for solid-state batteries that summer.