China’s solid-state EV batteries hit factory floor, promise 2x range

China’s GAC Group has launched the country’s first pilot production line capable of manufacturing large-format (60+ Ah) all-solid-state electric vehicle (EV) battery cells. While not yet ready for mass production, this pilot line marks a significant step toward industrializing solid-state battery technology in China, joining efforts previously led by Japan’s Toyota and various US and Korean startups. The 60 Ah capacity surpasses the typical 40–50 Ah range of current EV pouch cells, enabling higher energy storage per cell, which could reduce the number of cells needed, lower pack cost and weight, and ultimately extend EV driving range. The solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte instead of the conventional liquid electrolyte, offering advantages such as higher energy density, improved thermal safety, faster charging, and stability at elevated temperatures (claimed 300–400 °C). GAC asserts their new cells nearly double the energy density of existing batteries, potentially allowing a 311-mile EV to travel up to 621 miles on the