Who Will Win the Solid-State EV Battery Race?

All-solid-state EV batteries are considered the “holy grail” of EV technology in 2025, promising to bring double or more current range, faster charging, as well as increased savings and decreased weight. All of this means that the countries and companies who emerge as the first-movers will enjoy tremendous economic advantage for decades to come in the all-important global EV race.

The world is quickly moving away from gas-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, toward hybrids and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Visual Capitalist, using Jato data, reported that electrified vehicles (BEVs and all hybrids) now make up 43% of global auto sales as of Q1 2025, an astounding jump up from a mere 9% in 2019. China accounts for more than half of global BEV sales currently, with Europe and the especially the U.S. trailing far behind The U.S. is the laggard in last place among industrialized nations, creating a dire situation for the U.S. economy.

China’s GAC Builds First Pilot Line for Large Solid-State EV Batteries

China’s GAC Group has reportedly built the country’s first production line capable of manufacturing large all-solid-state EV battery cells rated at 60 Ah or higher. The line is still in the pilot stage and not yet ready for mass production, but its existence alone is a breakthrough. China Daily reported the news on November 22, 2025.

For now, GAC plans to produce small batches for testing. The key achievement is that the line is operational and capable of making vehicle-grade solid-state cells. This moves China into the early industrialization phase of solid-state battery technology, an area long dominated by Japan’s Toyota and pursued by several US and Korean startups.

For context, an ampere hour (Ah) is a unit that measures battery capacity by indicating how much current a cell can deliver over time. A 60 Ah cell can provide 60 amps for one hour or 6 amps for 10 hours. Most EV pouch cells today fall in the 40 to 50 Ah range, so crossing the 60 Ah threshold signals meaningful gains in energy and performance.

Larger cells offer many advantages. They can boost total pack energy, reduce the number of cells needed, and potentially lower cost and weight at the pack level. For large-format EV batteries, these improvements matter.

Solid-State EV Batteries Take Shape

The second major milestone is that these new cells are all-solid-state. Conventional lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte, while solid-state batteries rely on a solid electrolyte that is typically safer and denser. They tend to offer higher energy per kilogram or per litre, along with improved thermal stability.

These attributes can enable faster charging speeds and better operation in high-temperature environments. GAC claims stability in the 300 to 400 °C range. The company also reports that its solid-state cells could nearly double current energy density levels. If accurate, a vehicle that travels 311 miles today could reach about 621 miles on the same-size battery pack.

Another noteworthy achievement is an areal capacity of 7.7 mAh per square centimetre. Areal capacity measures how much charge an electrode can store per unit area. Traditional liquid-electrolyte production lines typically reach up to 5 mAh per square centimetre. Surpassing that threshold is extremely challenging and represents one of the biggest obstacles in solid-state manufacturing.

High areal capacity means thicker electrodes. Making them without cracks or failures is difficult, especially at scale. If GAC has done this on a pilot line, it suggests its electrolyte interface is stable and its dry electrode process works reliably. It also implies that scaling to industrial-level production is technically achievable. These bottlenecks have slowed solid-state progress worldwide.

A New Position of Strength for China

GAC expects small-batch vehicle testing of its solid-state cells in 2026, followed by a production ramp between 2027 and 2030. These milestones will depend on factors such as market adoption, supply chain readiness for solid electrolytes, and cost reduction.

Even so, this pilot line marks a major step in China’s progress from laboratory breakthroughs to industrial capability in solid-state batteries. It also positions GAC among the few companies globally with a pilot line for large-format 60 Ah solid-state cells.

If GAC can scale this technology, China could lead the global race for solid-state EV batteries, challenging long-standing efforts in Japan, Europe, Korea, and the United States.

Players in the Solid-State EV Battery Race

Several major companies across the automotive and battery industries are working on solid-state EV batteries. On the automaker side, Toyota remains one of the most committed players. The company has partnered with Idemitsu Kosan to co-develop solid electrolytes and aims to begin limited solid-state production later this decade. Nissan is also building its own solid-state pilot facility and plans to integrate the technology into future EVs.

Stellantis is working closely with Factorial Energy to validate large-format solid-state cells and has already tested 77 Ah prototypes. Mercedes-Benz is another key participant and is partnering with Factorial to develop its next-generation Solstice solid-state battery for premium models. In China, Dongfeng is developing a solid-state battery with a high energy density target and aims for a 2026 debut.

Several dedicated battery technology companies are also driving innovation. QuantumScape is one of the most high-profile startups focusing on lithium-metal solid-state cells and has a long-term partnership with Volkswagen. ProLogium, based in Taiwan, is working with multiple automakers and developing large-format solid-state pouch cells.

Solid Power, a United States company, is developing lithium-metal solid-state batteries and has partnerships with BMW and Ford. Factorial Energy is a major player supplying solid-state cells and its FEST electrolyte to companies such as Stellantis, Mercedes, Hyundai, and Kia. Sakti3, now owned by Dyson, continues solid-state research on the materials and thin-film battery side.

Large battery manufacturers are also involved. LG Energy Solution is investing heavily in solid-state and semi-solid technology and has established a dedicated research center focused on next-generation batteries. These companies are all racing to overcome the same challenges, including improving areal capacity, stabilizing solid electrolytes, and scaling production to the levels required for electric vehicles. As a result, the field has become one of the most competitive areas in clean energy and electric transportation.

EVinfo.net’s Take: The United States Must Work Harder to Win the EV Race and the Solid-State Battery Race

The global shift to electric vehicles is accelerating, and the countries moving the fastest are poised to dominate the next century of transportation. The United States has made progress, but it is not moving quickly enough. China, Europe, Japan, and South Korea are pushing ahead on battery innovation, manufacturing capacity, and next-generation technologies, especially solid-state batteries. If the U.S. wants to regain leadership in the automotive and clean-energy industries, it must treat the EV race and the solid-state battery race as strategic priorities.

Solid-state batteries, in particular, represent one of the most important breakthroughs in the future of electric mobility. They promise higher energy density, safer operation, faster charging, and lighter packs. The countries and companies that perfect and scale this technology will define the performance, cost, and competitiveness of future EVs. While several American startups are doing promising work, the U.S. still lags behind nations that have invested earlier and more aggressively in battery supply chains and industrialization.

The challenge is not a lack of innovation. American researchers, universities, and startups have contributed some of the world’s most advanced solid-state battery designs. The gap lies in scaling these discoveries into real manufacturing, where countries like China already have massive infrastructure, deep supply chains, and government support aligned toward global dominance. Without similar commitment, American companies risk seeing their breakthroughs commercialized somewhere else.

Winning the EV race means more than building great cars. It requires building batteries at scale, securing mineral supply chains, constructing gigafactories, speeding up permitting, and offering stronger incentives for domestic production. It also means accelerating partnerships across industry and government to bring solid-state technology from the lab into mass-market vehicles before global competitors lock in their advantages.

The United States has the talent, the resources, and the technological foundation to lead. What it needs now is urgency and federal government support. The countries that control the future of batteries will control the future of the auto industry and many other industries. The window to secure that leadership is open today, but it will not stay open for long.