When will solid-state batteries be in Chinese EVs?
The solid-state timeline has slipped every year for a decade. Here's what has actually shipped and what's realistic for 2026–29.
Semi-solid — already shipping
NIO 150 kWh pack (WeLion) — 360 Wh/kg cell density, 260 Wh/kg pack. Adds 300+ km of range to any ET7 or ES8. Rental-only initially due to cost — around ¥40,000/month to rent.
IM Motors L6 (SAIC brand): 130 kWh semi-solid, 900 km CLTC. On sale from Q3 2024 in China.
True all-solid — the roadmap
CATL: pilot production 2027, mass 2028.
WeLion: NIO partner, all-solid pilot 2027.
BYD: internal solid-state development, no committed vehicle date.
Toyota-Panasonic (not Chinese but industry reference): 2027–28 first vehicle.
Should you wait?
No. Semi-solid delivers 80% of the benefit today at 3× the cost. True all-solid at reasonable cost is a 2029+ story. Current LFP is already good enough for the vast majority of use cases.
- 01Semi-solid is shipping today in NIO 150 kWh packs.
- 02All-solid mass adoption is 2028–29 at earliest.
- 03LFP + Shenxing covers most 2026 buyer needs.
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