Anode-less Batteries, the Next Revolution for EVs?

Nanostructures grown on copper foil act like tiny hands guiding lithium ions to align neatly, with once rampant dendrites now tamed under the guidance of these "hands."

"Battery capacity increased by about 25%, adding nearly 150 kilometers to driving range." In September 2025, Japanese electronics giant Panasonic announced plans to develop anode-less battery technology within approximately two years. As a major battery supplier for Tesla, Panasonic's move has attracted significant attention in the industry.

Meanwhile, in Shehong City, Suining, Sichuan, a project involving a 5.5 billion yuan investment in 5,000 mt of solid-state battery composite lithium metal anode material was officially signed. The investor, Chongqing Lithium De Energy Technology, is one of only two companies globally that master the production technology of lithium metal powder.

The academic community is equally active. From Northwestern Polytechnical University to Tongji University, and from Mingzhi University in Taiwan to Fuzhou University, laboratories worldwide are racing to overcome the technical challenges of anode-less batteries.

01 What Is "Anode-less"?

In traditional lithium batteries, anode material is essential during manufacturing. Anode-less batteries, however, do not have any anode material at the manufacturing stage; instead, a lithium metal anode forms inside the battery during its first charge.

This minor change brings significant advantages. In April 2025, CATL introduced "self-generated anode" technology, which boosts ion conductivity by a hundredfold through a nanoscale interfacial layer.

Theoretical energy density is a key metric. A team led by Professor Ma Yue at Northwestern Polytechnical University developed an anode-less pouch battery demonstrating a gravimetric specific energy of 450 Wh/kg and a volumetric energy density of 1,355 Wh/L.

These figures far exceed those of the most advanced current lithium-ion batteries.

02 Technical Challenges

Multiple challenges lie ahead on the path to commercializing anode-less batteries.

The growth of lithium dendrites is the most vexing issue. Not only can lithium dendrites cause battery capacity to decline, but they may also puncture the separator, leading to short circuits and fires.

A joint research team from Tongji University published findings in the journal Science, revealing for the first time the fatigue failure phenomenon of solid-state lithium batteries' lithium metal anodes.

"Fatigue is a common problem faced by metallic materials under cyclic loading." Researchers found that the lithium metal anode undergoes fatigue-induced failure due to the cyclic mechanical loads caused by reversible stripping/plating.

Short cycle life is another major challenge. Currently, the cycle life of anode-less batteries generally falls below 200 cycles, far from meeting the demands of EVs.

Researchers from Taiwan's Ming Chi University of Technology pointed out that fully lithium-free "anode-free" batteries face issues such as uneven lithium-ion deposition and unstable solid electrolyte interfaces.

03 Innovative Solutions

To address these technical challenges, global research teams have proposed various innovative solutions.

Modification of the current collector is one effective approach. A research team from Taiwan's Ming Chi University of Technology constructed a CuO/PDA bilayer artificial solid electrolyte interface on copper foil through thermal oxidation and wet processes.

This design enabled the Li//PDA@Cu-30 half-cell to achieve a Coulombic efficiency of 97.80% at 1 mA cm⁻², and the LFP full-cell maintained 85.87% capacity retention after 800 cycles.

Prelithiation technology is another breakthrough. Professor Ma Yue's team at Northwestern Polytechnical University innovatively designed a prelithiation ion compensation separator, Li2S@C|PE.

This method can supplement customized Li⁺ inventory on demand during the first charging process while constructing a cathode interface rich in lithium sulfide.

Interface engineering is also crucial. The research group led by Professor Guan Cao, under Academician Huang Wei's team at Northwestern Polytechnical University, constructed a three-dimensional ordered hollow zinc oxide matrix with a top LiPON protective layer.

Studies show that even under 100% cavity utilization conditions, this system can achieve efficient and reversible lithium deposition-stripping processes within the three-dimensional cavities while maintaining structural integrity.

04 Industrialisation Progress

Anode-free/lithium metal anode technology is on the verge of transitioning from the laboratory to industrial application.

Panasonic plans to develop anode-free battery technology within approximately the next two years. This technology is expected to increase the battery capacity of EVs by about 25%.

In China, Chongqing Lithium Energy Technology Co., Ltd. officially signed a project for a 5,000 mt solid-state battery composite lithium metal anode material with an investment of 5.5 billion yuan.

The company plans to achieve a 400 mt-level capacity by 2026; reach an 800 mt-level capacity and apply for an IPO by 2027; and realize a 5,000 mt-level capacity by 2030.

Collaboration between academia and industry is also strengthening. Tsinghua University's laboratory and Chongqing Lithium Energy Technology are jointly conducting research on the industrial application of lithium metal and solid-state battery anode materials.

05 Future Outlook

With ongoing research, the prospects for anode-free battery technology are promising.

A review article published in Advanced Materials by Professor Zheng Yun of Fuzhou University and colleagues systematically analyzed the challenges faced by anode-free solid-state lithium metal batteries from the perspective of "effective lithium loss."

They innovatively proposed the formula "Effective Lithium Loss = Irreversible Lithium Loss + Sluggish Lithium Kinetics," providing new insights for subsequent research.

The research team at Ming Chi University of Technology in Taiwan discovered that the nitrogen atoms in polydopamine regulate lithium deposition through a "capture-compensation" mechanism, enabling uniform lithium deposition.

This bio-inspired PDA material, combined with metal oxides, offers a new strategy to address the key bottlenecks of lithium metal batteries.

Anode-free batteries have a significant advantage in energy density. However, cycle life and safety issues remain bottlenecks.

Professor Ma Yue from Northwestern Polytechnical University pointed out that an ampere-hour-level anode-free pouch battery using a pre-lithiated separator strategy has achieved a gravimetric specific energy of 450 Wh/kg.

However, the leap from laboratory coin cells to automotive-grade high-capacity batteries requires solving a series of problems, including interface degradation, cathode structural collapse, and irreversible lithium deposition.

The timeline for this technology to move out of the laboratory and achieve commercial mass production may be around 2026-2027. By then, the driving range of EVs will reach a new level.