The switch from lithium-ion to solid-state batteries promises to extend the range and charging speed of electric vehicles, and Chinese carmaker BYD believes it is in a “leading position” to commercialize the technology. BYD’s Executive Vice President Stella Li made the claim in a recent interview CarwowSpanish outlet, in addition to the news that BYD will release its first car with a solid-state battery in 2027.
“Talking about solid-state batteries, BYD is in the leading position,” Li said. “We are in the leading position for commercialization and technology. So to prove that next year we have a model that will be the first with that technology.”
Li’s comments further confirm plans shared by Sun Huajun, the chief technology officer of BYD’s battery subsidiary FinDreams, at a battery conference in February 2025. At the time, Sun said BYD will offer its first demonstration and installation of solid-state batteries in 2027, before the technology enters mass production around 2030. AutoNewsChina Reports. While that means people will be able to buy cars with the company’s sulfide solid-state batteries, that doesn’t mean their traditional lithium batteries will be phased out, BYD Chief Scientist Lian Yubo shared at the same conference. “Solid-state batteries are mainly used in high-end models powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, and used in vehicles of various levels,” said Lian.
Compared to lithium-ion batteries, which move ions between positive and negative terminals through a liquid solution of dissolved lithium salts, solid-state batteries replace the liquid with solid electrolytes made of oxides, polymers or sulfides (the kind BYD developed). Solid electrolytes give solid-state batteries higher energy density, which opens up the possibility of smaller, lighter batteries and a longer range on a single charge. Solid-state batteries are also theoretically safer because they are much less prone to catching fire and are able to operate in extreme temperatures, an issue that current lithium-ion batteries struggle with.
The problem with using battery technology as it exists now is cost, which is why BYD suggests you’ll first see its solid-state batteries on more expensive models, like possibly a future version of its Denza Z. For example, Toyota has committed to offering cars with solid-state batteries by 2027 or 2028; Mercedes-Benz began testing a solid-state EQS model and shared that it would ship the technology before the end of the decade; and Stellantis began road testing a solid-state Dodge Charger in 2026. Earlier this year, Honda started a new partnership with QuantumScape to develop solid-state batteries, it hopes will help it achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The potential for solid-state battery technology is exciting, but most car manufacturers are only in the first race.