Chinese battery giant CATL has intensified its research and development in all-solid-state battery technology, increasing its R&D team to over 1,000 employees this year, according to local media outlet LatePost. The company is focusing on the sulfide-based route and recently progressed to the trial production phase with 20 Ah sample batteries.
CATL’s latest solution for lithium ternary all-solid-state batteries reportedly achieves an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, a significant 40% improvement over conventional lithium-ion batteries. However, challenges in charging speed and cycle life remain. CATL is competing with other mainstream technology routes in the solid-state battery field, including oxide and polymer.
The company’s development approach involves scaling battery prototypes from 1 Ah to 20 Ah, the latter marking an initial production technology phase. Chief Scientist Wu Kai confirmed at the China International Battery Fair in April that CATL aims for small-scale production of all-solid-state batteries by 2027, with a current technology readiness level at 4 on a 1-9 scale. By 2027, CATL hopes to reach a readiness level of 7-8, allowing for limited production despite cost hurdles.
CATL’s solid-state battery R&D team, with an annual personnel budget of RMB 1 billion ($140,000 per team member), is the first of its size and investment scale in the industry, according to LatePost. Chairman Robin Zeng emphasized CATL’s leadership in solid-state battery technology at a recent industry conference, noting that the company’s advancements set it apart from competitors.
Having initiated its solid-state research in 2016, CATL only significantly increased its investment from late 2022. The shift followed Wu’s rare public disclosure of progress in the field, indicating a cautious but strategic commitment to advancing solid-state technology.
