Key Takeaways: May 13–15, 2026 – Solid-state batteries are now a “must-have” for exhibitors, but technology paths (sulfide/oxide/semi-solid) remain deeply divided, the definition of “mass production” has become diluted, and most products are still in the sample-validation stage. Applications are deliberately avoiding passenger EVs, focusing instead on edge scenarios like e-bikes and drones. The industry’s real dynamic is a collective “testing the waters” – testing routes, costs, and markets. Hybrid solid-liquid batteries are likely to dominate for years to come.
The just-concluded CIBF2026 was buzzing, but if one sentence had to capture the state of solid-state batteries at this year’s show, it would be: Everyone is aiming for solid-state, but everyone is still feeling their way.
Walking the exhibition floor, nearly every recognizable battery maker, materials supplier, and equipment manufacturer had plastered “solid-state” or “semi-solid” on their products. Yet beneath the surface noise, the industry finds itself in a delicate “probing phase” – companies are testing technical viability, gauging real downstream customer acceptance, and quietly sizing up competitors’ capabilities and cards.
More and more players are jumping into solid-state battery production, and equipment makers have their gear ready.
Figure: A sampling of solid-state battery related products (partial)
I. Solid-state is now “table stakes”, but routes are all over the map
At this exhibition, at least a hundred companies claimed to be working on solid-state batteries. Dig deeper, however, and the technological landscape is a riot of diversity – or more accurately, everyone is singing from a different hymn sheet.
Sulfide-based routes are represented by Jinlongyu, Farasis Energy, Gotion High-Tech, and others, but progress varies sharply. Jinlongyu showcased a 20Ah sulfide all-solid-state soft-pack cell with 400 Wh/kg, yet its staff were vague about mass-production timelines. Farasis, in contrast, announced that its 60Ah sulfide all-solid-state cell has passed automotive-grade validation, and that mass production has been moved up to Q3 2026 – the word “accelerated” itself speaks volumes, implying earlier expectations were far less optimistic.
Oxide and polymer routes are led by materials firms like Capchem and Jiuwu Hi-Tech. Jiuwu displayed LLZO, LATP, and other oxide electrolyte powders, claiming ionic conductivity on par with international advanced levels, while honestly admitting they are “still sending samples to leading customers for validation.” “Sending samples,” of course, means letting big customers help with trial, error, feedback, and iteration.
Semi-solid (hybrid solid-liquid) routes are the most crowded. Gotion’s “G Tan” battery,Hoosun Intelligence Technology’s (Hosson Technology) “Jiuxiao · Lingyun” series via its Chaoneng Times unit, SVOLT’s hybrid solid-liquid battery packs – each claims “design-in secured,” “already delivered,” “road-tested.” But pressing further, most of these are concentrated in “non-mainstream” markets like e-bikes, industrial drones, and specialty energy storage. Very few have genuinely scaled up and entered the passenger EV front-loading market.
This situation – multiple routes running in parallel, each with its own narrative – precisely illustrates that technology convergence for solid-state batteries is far from complete. Companies dare not bet everything on a single path, so they spread their eggs across baskets, walking and watching, watching and adjusting.
II. Big talk on mass production, but how much water does “mass production” hold?
“Mass production achieved,” “soon to be mass produced,” “mass production-ready” – these phrases littered exhibitors’ brochures. But a closer look reveals that the definition of “mass production” has been quietly diluted.
Pure Lithium New Energy was one of the few at the show bold enough to claim “mass production achieved.” Yet its production line is only 500 MWh, with products mainly going to e-bike battery swapping and specialty energy storage – not passenger EV power batteries. At that scale, in an industry where GWh is the norm, it looks more like a scaled-up pilot line.
Gotion’s “G Tan” hybrid solid-liquid battery has indeed secured a design-in from an automaker, boasting 300+ Wh/kg and over 1,000 km of range. These numbers sound impressive, but industry insiders know well that the gap between semi-solid and all-solid-state remains formidable. Packaging “semi-solid” as “solid-state” is an open secret in the industry.
Sinoma Science & Technology (formerly Enjie) unveiled a 20μm composite skeleton-supported sulfide solid-state electrolyte membrane, claiming it as the “world’s first scalable mass-produced” product that is “directly compatible with existing liquid electrolyte lines.” This clever compatibility design highlights a stark reality: battery makers are reluctant to build entirely new lines for solid-state batteries. Whoever can make solid-state work on existing equipment will land orders first. Sinoma has spotted that pain point, but large-scale adoption of this membrane will have to wait until cell makers freeze their formulations.
III. Equipment and materials suppliers: pushing new products while waiting for the wind
If cell makers are still probing, then equipment and materials suppliers are even more anxious, waiting for the wind to pick up.
Autowell, Jinyinhe, Lyric, Manst – nearly every equipment maker rolled out dedicated solid-state battery gear: dry-electrode equipment, warm isostatic presses, solid-state electrolyte coating lines, integrated thermal-pressure formation machines. The range is comprehensive.
But a telling detail: when asked, many equipment makers used strikingly similar phrasing – “already under validation with customers,” “delivered complete line projects,” “in technical discussions with 30+ customers.” Translated, this means real orders haven’t ramped up yet; everyone is still talking, waiting, watching.
Materials suppliers are faring slightly better. Easpring’s ultra-high-nickel multi-element materials for all-solid-state batteries have achieved batch shipments of over 20 tons. Jiuwu Hi-Tech’s oxide electrolytes are in small-volume sales. Capchem revealed that its investee Shenzhen Xinyuanbang’s oxide electrolytes are selling in batches, with a thousand-ton-scale capacity planned for 2026. But keywords like “small batches,” “sample validation,” and “planned thousand-ton scale” still hint at an early-stage industrialization.
IV. Downstream applications: avoiding the hard nuts, nibbling the low-hanging fruit
The application scenarios for solid-state batteries at this exhibition were notably selective – companies have tacitly steered clear of passenger EVs, the toughest battleground.
Pure Lithium targets e-bike battery swapping and high-temperature/high-humidity energy storage.
Jinlongyu pitches its products for electric motorcycles, drones, and eVTOL.
Hosson Technology’s Chaoneng Times focuses on industrial drones and embodied intelligent robots.
BAK Battery’s semi-solid cells target drones and premium e-bikes.
Highpower Technology’s high-energy-density solid-state batteries are aimed at AI wearables and smart hardware.
What about passenger EVs? Apart from Gotion’s single design-in, most companies gave vague answers like “in discussions” or “validation completed.” The reason is not hard to see: passenger EVs impose brutally demanding requirements on cost, cycle life, fast-charging capability, and safety – areas where all-solid-state has yet to beat liquid electrolytes. By first landing in “lower-risk” scenarios like e-bikes, drones, and energy storage, companies hope to accumulate production experience on one hand, and on the other prove “we can do it” – testing the patience of capital and the confidence of customers.
V. Testing the waters, everyone knows their own depth
Taken together, the “buzz” around solid-state batteries at CIBF2026 is essentially a large-scale industrial exploration.
Testing technology paths: sulfide, oxide, polymer, composite – none eliminated, none yet dominant.
Testing mass-production timelines: some say 2026, some 2027, some avoid dates entirely – no one wants to overpromise.
Testing cost floors: what can solid-state batteries really cost? No clear numbers – even the companies are still crunching the numbers themselves.
Testing market acceptance: “guinea pig” markets like e-bikes, drones, and storage go first; if they work, then migrate to passenger EVs.
More importantly, companies are also testing each other. What products are you launching? At what prices? Whose orders have you won? What equipment are you using? This information flows – intentionally or otherwise – through the back-and-forth at the booths. The exhibition floor is both a showcase and an intelligence-gathering ground.
Conclusion
The solid-state battery story at CIBF2026 is neither fake prosperity nor a ripe fruit ready to fall. Everyone is moving toward solid-state, but everyone is cautiously testing the depths. Technology paths remain divergent, mass-production standards are yet to be unified, and the real winners are far from emerging. This is a marathon where some may run in the wrong direction, some may drop out mid-way, and others may suddenly accelerate in the second half. It’s all just beginning. Though the industry has long been hoping for the “Year of Solid-State,” that year will likely be proclaimed for several years yet, requiring real patience. In 2026, the more consistent voice is that it’s the year of hybrid solid-liquid batteries (gel-state batteries) – an area where “everyone can brush against” and easily hit. These are likely to dominate for many years before the true solid-state era arrives. Core view unchanged.
According to SMM forecasts, all-solid-state battery shipments will reach 13.5 GWh by 2028, while semi-solid-state battery shipments will reach 160 GWh. Global lithium-ion battery demand is projected to reach approximately 2,800 GWh by 2030, with the EV sector's lithium-ion battery demand showing a CAGR of around 11% from 2024 to 2030, ESS lithium-ion battery demand at a CAGR of about 27%, and consumer electronics lithium battery demand at a CAGR of roughly 10%. Global solid-state battery penetration is estimated at about 0.1% in 2025, with all-solid-state battery penetration expected to reach around 4% by 2030, and global solid-state battery penetration potentially approaching 10% by 2035.
**Note:** For further details or inquiries regarding solid-state battery development, please contact:
Phone: 021-20707860 (or WeChat: 13585549799)
Contact: Chaoxing Yang. Thank you!
![[Lithium Battery: Tianli Lithium Energy's Products Compatible With Solid-State Routes Achieve Mass Shipments]](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/MbKXH20251217171730.jpg)
