Chinese tech conglomerate asserts 1,800-mile electric vehicle battery with solid-state design, files patent application
The world of electric vehicles (EVs) is on the cusp of a revolutionary leap, with solid-state batteries (SSBs) promising substantial improvements in energy density, range, and charging times. This technological advancement is being pursued by major automakers and tech companies, including Toyota, Volkswagen, BYD, CATL, and Samsung.
Solid-state batteries allow the use of pure lithium metal anodes instead of graphite, resulting in lighter batteries with about double the energy density of current lithium-ion batteries. This innovation enables EV ranges exceeding 800 km on a single charge in some prototypes. For instance, Samsung's solid-state battery boasts such capabilities.
Charging times for SSBs are also impressive. They can safely accept higher currents without overheating or fire risk, permitting charging times as fast as 3 to 12 minutes to 80% capacity. This is a significant improvement over the 30-60 minutes required for traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Moreover, the lifespan of SSBs extends to 15–20 years with capacity retention over 90% even after 5,000 charge cycles. This is roughly double the life compared to current lithium-ion batteries.
However, mass production at scale remains a critical hurdle. Key challenges include complex production processes, scaling laboratory manufacturing to gigawatt-hour volumes with consistent quality, high costs, and controlling ion conduction channels. Solid electrolytes (often ceramics/glasses) require high precision, and preventing dendrite formation is critical to reliability and safety.
As of mid-2025, solid-state battery development by global automakers and tech companies is advancing rapidly but still faces significant production challenges. Commercial mass production is anticipated mostly post-2025 to early 2030s.
In the case of Huawei, while the company is known to be investing in battery and EV technologies, specific details about its solid-state battery development status or breakthroughs are not yet publicly available. Huawei is more active in battery management systems and EV components, but direct solid-state battery mass production efforts have not been prominently reported yet.
China is expected to be among the first to bring solid-state batteries to market. Fujian-headquartered CATL is scheduled to begin pilot production of a hybrid solid-state battery by 2027. Chinese companies file over 7,600 solid-state battery patents each year, accounting for 36.7% of the world's total patent activity in this field.
In conclusion, solid-state batteries are nearing commercialization with promising gains in energy density (~2x lithium-ion), ultra-fast charging (minutes), and long cycle life (thousands of cycles). Companies like Toyota, Volkswagen/QuantumScape, CATL, BYD, Samsung, and others are driving this progress. However, mass production at scale remains a critical hurdle expected to be overcome gradually post-2025, with significant investments and government support accelerating progress. Huawei’s specific role in SSB mass production is not clearly evidenced yet.
[1] China's $830 million initiative to advance solid-state battery technology [2] Samsung's solid-state battery promises 800 km range and 5-minute charge [3] Charging an electric vehicle in 10 minutes: the race is on [4] Solid-state batteries: the future of electric vehicles [5] The challenges of solid-state batteries
- The future of electric vehicle (EV) technology is being shaped by solid-state batteries (SSBs), with China spearheading a $830 million initiative to drive their advancement.2.Significant progress in SSB technology is being made by companies like Samsung, offering promises of 800 km range and charging as fast as 5 minutes, revolutionizing the EV lifestyle and reshaping the science of energy storage.
