Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer GAC Aion will beat some big names in the solid-state battery race.
They have announced that they will launch solid-state batteries (ASSBs) in their Hyper-branded vehicles in 2026 and claim that these large capacity batteries will have extremely high energy density and safety. full.
Solid-state batteries, as the name suggests, use a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte, such as those found in today's electric vehicle batteries, to stimulate electron transfer.
GAC Aion claims its battery can provide a range that “can easily exceed 1000km” and an energy density of more than 400Wh/kg.
The company says its volumetric energy density is up more than 52% compared to today's mass-produced liquid lithium-ion batteries.
GAC Aion has subjected its ASSB to extensive safety testing, including a nail test in which the battery is pierced by a nail to ensure it does not catch fire.
The company claims the battery has mechanical strength and high temperature resistance as well as being non-flammable, which significantly reduces the risk of thermal runaway and improves the membrane's resistance to damage.
The battery also features a new silicon anode material that provides 135% improved cycling stability compared to conventional silicon anodes.
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The company said the cost of manufacturing this type of battery will also be cheaper than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
In the future large-scale mass production, they said equipment investment can be reduced by 15%, factory area by 40%, and production costs by more than 35%.
If mass production begins in 2026, it will beat Toyota and Nissan which plan to put the ASSB into production in 2027/28.
However, the head of battery giant CATL, recently had doubts about the viability of solid-state batteries.
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“We fully support solid state, but I have been investing in this sector for 10 years,” Mr. Zeng said. Financial Timesbelieves that CATL – the world's largest electric vehicle battery manufacturer – is “second to none” in the race to make this technology viable.
“I follow the developers working on solid state almost every month, so I know all the progress and somehow we still have these demonstrators.”
Zeng said solid-state batteries only have an advantage over existing batteries if they use a new chemistry along with pure lithium metal as the anode electrode.
He noted that there are problems with lithium ions diffusing within the solid material and also raised issues with both durability and safety.
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“[The battery] can't last much [charging] cycles, maybe 10 cycles,” he said, explaining that the expansion of lithium during charging and discharging can damage the battery. “So how can you make it commercially viable?”
Finally, he explains that solid-state batteries can pose safety issues, as lithium will react with moisture in the air if the battery ruptures in a car accident.
Instead, some companies have looked to semi-solid batteries, which do not have a completely solid electrolyte. SAIC Motor, the parent company of the MG and LDV brands, recently unveiled the IM L6 sedan with a 130kWh semi-solid battery that has a range of over 1000km on the gentler CLTC cycle.
GAC Aion has previously said it plans to launch in Australia.
Based on our discussions early last year with people familiar with the brand's plans, it was expected to launch locally in the second half of 2024, before a wider rollout. in 2025.
It's unclear whether these plans will change.
