China has launched a public consultation process for its first national standard governing solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, a move seen as a key step toward the commercialization of next-generation battery technology, according to a notice released by the country’s auto standards authority.
The draft standard, titled Solid-State Battery for Electric Vehicle – Part 1: Terms and Classification, was issued by the National Technical Committee of Auto Standardization on December 30. The consultation period will run until February 28, 2026. The document establishes foundational definitions and technical classifications for solid-state batteries, laying the groundwork for future regulatory and industrial alignment.
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Under the draft, batteries are classified according to their ion transport mechanisms into liquid, hybrid solid–liquid, and solid-state batteries. The framework effectively excludes the commonly used term “semi-solid-state battery,” which has been widely adopted in marketing by some manufacturers in recent years. The standard also categorizes solid-state batteries by electrolyte type, including sulfide, oxide, polymer, halide, and composite systems, as well as by application, such as high-energy or high-power configurations.
The proposed rules also introduce preliminary technical benchmarks. Among them, the weight loss rate — a measure of material loss during vacuum drying — must not exceed 0.5 percent, a parameter intended to reflect the degree of liquid content within a battery cell. Regulators said the metric will help differentiate true solid-state designs from hybrid technologies.
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China currently lacks a unified national standard for automotive solid-state batteries, and industry observers say the new framework could help clarify technical definitions and accelerate commercialization. According to a report by Securities Times, the move is expected to support the transition from laboratory research to industrial-scale deployment.
Major battery manufacturers including CATL and BYD have indicated that they aim to begin limited integration of all-solid-state batteries into vehicles around 2027. CATL has previously said mass production remains challenging due to cost and manufacturing constraints, while BYD has suggested that widespread adoption may not occur until after 2030.