China’s oldest carmaker begins testing solid-state EV batteries in vehicles

FAW Group, China’s oldest domestic auto brand, is the latest to announce it has begun testing solid-state EV batteries in vehicles.

China pushes ahead with solid-state EV batteries

With its roots tracing back to 1953, FAW Group (formerly China First Automotive Works) is considered China’s oldest automaker.

Before brands like BYD entered the market, China’s “Big Four” state-owned automakers dominated vehicle sales in the region. However, that was mostly thanks to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

As they look to keep pace in China’s intensifying EV market, companies like FAW, SAIC, Changan, and Dongfeng are investing heavily to advance new batteries, software, and other powertrain components.

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FAW became the latest Chinese automaker to begin testing solid-state EV batteries. China’s state-owned Xinhua News Agency confirmed that the first Hongqi prototype equipped with the new battery tech rolled off the pilot production line on Wednesday.

The vehicle was a Hongqi Tiangong 06 model, an all-electric SUV under FAW’s luxury sub-brand. According to the report, after 470 days of research and development, the company achieved several “breakthroughs” in areas such as sulfide electrolytes, 10Ah cell performance, and 60Ah cell manufacturing.

Hongqui’s all-solid-state battery with a 66Ah cell has already passed testing, including the 200℃ (392°F) extreme-heat test.

The sulfide electrolyte also achieved ionic conductivity above the 10 mS/cm threshold, exceeding that of traditional liquid electrolytes.

FAW Group has been researching and developing solid-state batteries since 2014. In 2019, it introduced the first VDA-sized standard module for solid-state batteries.

A report from local media, Mydrivers, claims that FAW’s 66Ah battery cells achieve an energy density of 380 Wh/kg, well above that of traditional lithium-ion batteries, which range from 180 to 250 Wh/kg.

The achievement comes after Dongfeng Motors, another one of China’s “Big Four” carmakers, announced just last week that it had begun testing a solid-state battery-powered prototype in extreme cold weather conditions. The prototype was equipped with Dongfeng Motor’s 350 Wh/kg solid-state battery, which the company claims can deliver more than 620 miles (1,000 km) of CLTC driving range.

Following the real-world testing stage this year, FAW plans to install the first solid-state batteries in Hongqui’s higher-end models in small batches by the end of 2027. By 2030, it’s expected to enter mass production in mid- to high-end models, reportedly reducing costs by over 50%.