A senior executive at Chongqing Changan Automobile Co. Ltd. has urged caution over the development of all-solid-state batteries, warning that the technology is unlikely to be ready for commercial use before 2030.
“There are still many unresolved problems with all-solid-state batteries,” said Deng Chenghao, vice president of Changan Auto and chairman of its electric-vehicle brand Deepal Auto, during the World Power Battery Conference on Tuesday. Deng cautioned that the industry's impatience could backfire, ultimately undermining sustainable, long-term development.
His remarks come as a reality check for an electric vehicle industry increasingly fixated on solid-state batteries, which promise longer range, better safety and improved performance in cold weather. The technology replaces flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials, generating buzz among investors and attracting substantial state-backed R&D funding in China.
Although the government has allocated special funds to support collaborative innovation — with some automakers targeting pilot vehicle trials by 2027 — Deng emphasized that mass production faces steep challenges. He said Changan is involved in state-led demonstration projects, but achieving widespread commercialization will require significant advances in technology, manufacturing processes and cost efficiency.
“Misunderstandings can obstruct R&D,” Deng warned, calling for realistic expectations from both industry stakeholders and consumers to allow time for technical validation.
The hype around solid-state batteries stems in part from the shortcomings of current lithium-ion cells, especially concerns over fire risks following crashes or spontaneous combustion.
Sun Jinhua, a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China, noted that government data from the first quarter of 2022 showed that new-energy vehicles (NEVs) experienced 2.88 fire incidents per 10,000 vehicles, compared with 2 for gasoline cars. While the difference is relatively small, Sun said NEV fires tend to burn more intensely and are difficult to extinguish with standard methods.
Although battery safety has improved and a more stringent national standard will take effect in July 2026, Deng said that ensuring absolute safety under extreme conditions remains elusive. He also noted that batteries still account for about 15% of a vehicle’s total cost, leaving room for further cost reductions.
Solid-state batteries are not the only technological path forward. Xia Dingguo, a professor at Peking University’s College of Engineering, suggested that developing nonflammable liquid electrolytes could significantly enhance battery safety. Deng also questioned whether solid-state batteries may not necessarily be the industry’s ultimate solution.
Recent developments outside China underscore the need for caution. On Nov. 7, the governor of Japan’s Fukuoka prefecture said that Toyota Motor Corp. would delay a planned solid-state battery factory due to slowing demand for electric vehicles. A day earlier, Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that developing a dry battery electrode process — a key technology for some solid-state batteries — was proving harder than expected, adding that he might have preferred to stick with traditional wet processes.
