SAIC Motor has confirmed that the solid-state battery production line of its partner Qingtao Power in Anqing is fully operational. According to IT Home, pilot cells are planned to be received by the end of the year, prototype vehicle testing will begin in 2026, and mass commercial delivery is scheduled for 2027. The new technology is focused on an energy density of over 400 Wh/kg and a single cell capacity of over 75 Ah — parameters that the company previously announced in corporate materials.
SAIC reported passing key safety tests: the cells withstood nail penetration and heating to 200 °C without ignition, while retaining more than 90% of their capacity in the cold. The joint laboratory of SAIC and Qingtao Energy continues to refine the chemical composition, but analysts warn that successful tests are only part of the way, and technological maturity and economic efficiency will only become clear after repeated replication of results in mass production.
Several players are conducting solid-state development in the Chinese market. GAC has already launched a small-scale line and expects to reach mass production by 2027–2030. Chery is demonstrating elements with a record 600 Wh/kg and is preparing pilot cars for 2026. Sunwoda, with the support of Li Auto, is working on 400 Wh/kg cells with an estimated range of 1000 km. At the same time, CATL is more cautious: the company does not expect the commercial launch of fully solid-state batteries until 2030.
