Solid‑State Battery Weekly Review Hybrid Solid‑Liquid Mass Production Set, All‑Solid‑State R&D Continues

Price Overview
Material prices continued their downward trend, with clear divergence between sulphide and oxide routes. The first half of 2026 was dominated by lab‑scale validation and pilot‑line commissioning, with actual procurement volumes tiny. As larger pilot lines (hundreds of tonnes) come online in H2, the market shifts from “kilogram‑grade” to “tonne‑grade” trading, driving prices lower.

1. Materials

• Huashang Zhongke achieved 99.95% high‑purity Li₂S in pilot trials (certified by national testing centre), backed by CAS technology, with a 60 t/a sulphide electrolyte pilot line already running.

• Tinci Materials confirmed its 100 t/a Li₂S & sulphide electrolyte pilot line is on track for Q3 2026 commissioning; UV frame adhesives are being sampled.

• GEM reported tonne‑scale shipments of high‑nickel, ultra‑high‑nickel, and Li‑rich Mn‑based cathode materials, and set up a joint lab with Sun Xueliang’s team for full‑chain innovation.

• Tianqi Lithium started a 50 t/a Li₂S pilot project in Meishan (proprietary slurry reduction method, 99.9% purity, cost ~60% of industry average).

• Shin‑Etsu (Xinzhoubang) began mass sales of oxide electrolytes and will commission 1,000 t/a capacity in 2026; sulphide/polymer electrolytes are in small‑batch supply.

• Furui announced a ¥399.6 million acquisition of 78.8% of Bosailisi (silicon‑carbon anode), which supplies Gotion Hi‑Tech and others.

• Toyota patented a multilayer composite binder for Si‑C anodes (JP2026‑123456A), reducing swelling by 80% and raising initial Coulombic efficiency to 91.5%, targeting 2027 mass production.

• ECOPROBM (Korea) unveiled its roadmap for all‑solid‑state battery materials, covering electrolytes, cathodes, anodes, and sodium‑ion batteries.

2. Cells

• CATL released data for its third‑generation condensed‑state solid‑state battery (high‑Ni cathode + Si‑C anode): 420 Wh/kg, >1,500 cycles, passed nail penetration and 150°C oven tests; mass production targeted for Q2 2027 (SMM notes that CATL’s historical schedules may shift).

• SVOLT confirmed its medium‑Ni hybrid solid‑liquid battery will enter mass production in Q3 2026, with >8,000 units delivered in 2026 and >70,000 in 2027. The battery achieves 245 Wh/kg, 6C peak charge, and cost parity with liquid cells, raising thermal runaway trigger temperature above 350°C and reducing fire risk by ~90%.

• Zhongke Yuanben passed 220°C oven test for its 2 Ah sulphide all‑solid‑state cell (no fire/explosion), though SMM cautions that larger‑capacity cells (40‑60 Ah) are much harder to pass.

• Jiuwu Hi‑Tech demonstrated LATP solid electrolyte in 1 Ah pouch cells (NCM811/graphite) that survived extreme overcharge/over‑discharge abuse tests (GB38031‑2020) without fire, smoke, or swelling.

3. Projects

• Weilan New Energy launched two major initiatives:

  • Qingyang, Gansu – a 3 GWh solid‑state battery pack plant and electric heavy‑truck logistics park (total investment ¥1.5 billion, 160 mu), including annual rental/sale of 3,000 electric trucks with 1.5 GWh of battery packs.

  • Zhejiang Weilan Digital Energy – a joint venture with Honghe New Energy in Huzhou, targeting the AIDC (AI data centre) energy storage market, where global installed capacity is forecast to exceed 300 GWh by 2030. The company leverages in‑situ curing solid‑state technology with proprietary BMS/EMS. Academician Chen Liquan hailed AIDC as a “hundred‑billion‑yuan blue ocean.”

4. Financing & Cooperation

• Furui acquired 78.8% of Bosailisi for ¥399.6 million (see Materials).

• GEM formed a joint lab with Sun Xueliang’s team to accelerate full‑chain innovation from fundamental research to industrialisation.

5. Overseas Progress

• Sumitomo Chemical plans to commercialise halide‑based solid electrolytes by FY2028, developed with Kyoto and Tottori universities – seen as a potential alternative to sulphides/oxides with better stability and lower processing costs.

• Toyota’s binder patent (above) and ECOPROBM’s roadmap (above) are also noted.

6. Industry Voices – Diverging Views

• Wang Deping (Chief Scientist, FAW Group): Warned of two misunderstandings – “all‑solid‑state safety is relative; once thermal runaway occurs, its destructive power far exceeds liquid batteries,” and “wide operating temperature does not mean good low‑temperature performance; below ‑20°C it is worse than liquid.” FAW’s tests show solid‑state cells release 10× more gas and ejecta mass, with 100× faster response. FAW has chosen the sulphide route, targeting small‑batch vehicle installation in 2027 and 400 Wh/kg by 2030.

• Yang Hongxin (Chairman, SVOLT): Argues hybrid solid‑liquid batteries will remain the mainstream for a long time, while all‑solid‑state will struggle with cost competitiveness even by 2035. SVOLT plans a second‑generation hybrid cell in 2027.

• MIIT will hold a working meeting on 10 solid‑state battery industry standards (Jul 27‑28), following the first national standard GB/T43568‑2026 effective from July 1, which defines clear technical thresholds for all‑solid‑state vs. hybrid.

• Tax policy: From Sept 1, 2026 to end‑2028, solid‑state, sodium‑ion, and certain PV batteries are exempt from consumption tax, while lithium‑ion batteries will be taxed 2% from Sept 2026 and 4% from Sept 2027.

• Xinhua News concluded that “2026 is the year of mass production for hybrid solid‑liquid batteries, initially for high‑end EVs and low‑altitude applications, then penetrating larger markets; all‑solid‑state may see demonstration installations in 2027 but volume ramp‑up will take longer.”

SMM Commentary
SMM notes that H1 2026 was a critical build‑up phase moving from “concept validation” to “pre‑mass production.” The second half will be a “sprint to launch” with multiple models hitting the market, and the competitive landscape for 2027 installation milestones will largely be settled by year‑end. While material prices are falling (10‑20% expected in H2), production volumes are accelerating as the industry shifts from labs to pilot‑scale output. SMM also cautions that the rumour of CATL’s 15 GWh all‑solid‑state plant was likely false, reflecting market eagerness but also a gap between expectations and reality.

**Note:** For further details or inquiries regarding solid-state battery development, please contact:
Phone: 021-20707860 (or WeChat: 13585549799)
Contact: Chaoxing Yang. Thank you!