MG is announcing solid-state batteries for plug-in hybrids (!), including the MG S9 PHEV. Hundreds of kilometers of electric range?

The MG brand, owned by the Chinese conglomerate SAIC Motor, has long claimed to use solid-electrolyte batteries in the latest generation of the MG4 Urban, which is a variant of the MG4 with a different body style and shorter range. Now the company has started promising that solid-state cells will also be used in plug-in hybrids, first in the MG ZS, followed by the MG HS and MG S9. It should be noted that these are actually cells with a solid-liquid electrolyte, meaning they contain a small amount of liquid electrolyte (up to 5 percent of the weight).

Is MG a technological powerhouse? Just lacking a bit of marketing?

MG plans to use semi-solid-state batteries (S-SSB, as opposed to all-solid-state) developed under the SolidCore line. Their use in electric vehicles is logically justified, as they should enable faster charging, ensure safety in potential accidents, and provide greater range with the same battery size. In plug-in hybrids, according to an MG representative, the advantage of S-SSB lies in improved performance at low and high speeds as well as on uneven terrain.

In reality, it might involve improved performance of the battery at low temperatures, an electric range of hundreds of kilometers, and the possibility of using an even smaller combustion engine. The MG HS and MG S9 are expected to feature conventional engines with 1.5 liters of capacity and 120 kW/163 hp of power, while the MG ZS will have a 1.1 liter engine producing 73 kW/99 hp. Vehicles with batteries using partially solid electrolytes will be labeled Plug-in Hybrid+, and they will also receive a different transmission to reduce energy consumption, according to AutoCar. The new transmission will also be available for older hybrid models (Hybrid+) alongside batteries expanded to 3.6 kWh.

The current version of the MG S9 PHEV has a battery with a capacity of 24.7 (~22) kWh, offers an electric range of up to 100 WLTP units, and costs starting at 172,900 złoty:

Engine optimizations have enabled them to operate with thermal efficiencies of 43% and 42% respectively, while also being quieter by up to 5 decibels. Although the upgraded engines are already being installed in vehicles, we won’t see semi-solid-state batteries in them until at least 2027. MG theoretically sells them since 2025, but China’s MIIT is highly skeptical about them. By the end of 2025, all solid electrolytes were labeled as a “marketing strategy.” MG’s first generation of SolidCore cells had an energy density of only 0.18 kWh/kg; it is the second generation that aims to surpass traditional Li-ion cells by achieving 0.37 kWh/kg.

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