Following the footsteps of CATL, Great Wall Motors, another large EV manufacturer in China, has hit the final stage in the development of solid-state batteries. This is a milestone for not only the EV manufacturer but the industry at large as this technology might revolutionize charging and range. Yes, with the use of solid-state batteries, EVs will be able to get longer ranges on a single charge as well as lower charging time.
Now that Great Wall Motors has completed the development of its solid-state batteries, it can kick off production. While this is great news, we shouldn’t expect to see solid-state batteries launched in EVs on a large scale anytime soon. This is because of the challenges that the manufacturing process of these new battery packs is currently facing.
In place of the liquid electrolytes that are in use on lithium-ion batteries, these solid-state batteries opt for a solid material. So, the manufacturing process of solid-state batteries is different from that of lithium-ion batteries. These batteries eliminate issues such as overheating, as well as other fire hazards that lithium-ion batteries pose.
Just like with CATL, Great Wall Motors will take its time to push for solid-state batteries to reach full-scale production. This might take a lot of time, as lithium-ion batteries are already widely in use in a ton of vehicles. Great Wall Motors will also develop a new battery cell alongside the solid-state batteries that are about to enter production.
According to available reports, this new battery cell will help step up charging speed. The reports go on to say that the 4C supercharging battery cell will supply up to 500km of range in about 10 minutes of charging. We look forward to seeing the launch of this solid-state battery as well as the new charging solution from the Chinese automobile manufacturer.