Hyundai Motor Group, including Kia, doesn’t expect to launch solid-state EV batteries until 2030, at the earliest. The company said there’s “a lot of uncertainty” around the promising new battery tech. With others, including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Stellantis, Honda, and Chinese battery giants CATL and BYD, who will be the first to get the “holy grail” of battery tech on the market?
When is Hyundai launching solid-state EV batteries?
During Kia’s 2025 EV Day earlier this week (see our recap), Hyundai Motor’s global producing planning chief Spencer Cho explained that the promising new battery tech is much more complex than most realize.
Hyundai doesn’t expect its solid-state batteries to be ready for Kia electric vehicles until 2030. And it could be even later.
“I don’t think we can commercialize these batteries before 2030,” Cho said at the event (via Automotive News). He explained that the timeline is unclear, adding “Once our engineers believe that we have credible technologies that we can bring, then we might produce them on our own.”
In the meantime, Hyundai and Kia, which pool resources, plan to improve existing battery tech, including lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC).
Rivals are racing ahead, but will they deliver?
Although several others like Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis recently revealed solid-state battery plans, Cho said we’ll see which can actually deliver the technology at mass volume.
The comments come after Mercedes-Benz announced it began testing the “world’s first” production EV from a global OEM powered by a solid-state battery earlier this month. Mercedes said its slightly modified EQS with a solid-state battery is expected to have a range of over 621 miles.
Mercedes has been working with US-based Factorial Energy since 2021 to launch the new battery tech. In September, they revealed the more advanced “Solstice” battery.
Factorial said its “breakthrough” Solstice all-solid-state EV battery is expected to extend driving range by 80% compared to current lithium-ion batteries, suggesting a WLTP range of over 620 miles.
The company is also working with Stellantis to launch a fleet of electric Dodge Chargers in 2026. The EV muscle cars will be based on Factorial’s FEST (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology), which offers an energy density of over 390 Wh/kg.
Japan and China are doubling down
Japanese auto giants, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan are all developing solid-state batteries to power their next-gen electric models. Honda unveiled its all-solid-state battery demo production line for the first time in November.
Toyota is teaming up with Japanese oil giant Idemitsu to commercialize its solid-state batteries. On Thursday, Idemitsu announced a new large-scale lithium sulfide plant to supply the raw material for Toyota’s all-solid state batteries.
Toyota and Idemitsu aim to begin commercial production in 2027 or 2028, with mass production expected in 2030 or later.
Global battery leaders, CATL and BYD, are also doubling down on the new technology. Earlier this month, Sun Huajun, the CTO of BYD’s battery business (Shenzhen BYD Lithium Battery Co), said the company expects to launch its first all-solid-state battery-powered EV in 2027. Like most, BYD and CATL don’t expect to mass produce the new batteries until 2030 at the earliest.
Earlier this month, local reports claimed Hyundai will reveal its all-solid-state battery pilot line in March, so we may learn more soon.
Source: Automotive News
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