In 2024, the (semi-) solid-state battery era officially kicks off with mass production.
In just one day, the JiJi L6 hits the market, proudly featuring solid-state batteries.
NIO's 150 kWh semi-solid-state battery pack takes on the challenging terrain of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, streamed live for all to witness.
Meanwhile, GAC teases the imminent arrival of fully solid-state batteries.
As the era of solid-state batteries dawns for smart vehicles, the internet buzzes with discussions, debates, and inquiries about this groundbreaking technology.
What is a solid-state battery?
Are solid-state batteries really as "safe and non-explosive" with high energy density as the industry claims, without any drawbacks?
How far away are solid-state batteries from widespread adoption?
Solid-state batteries: A new hope for consumers and the industry
When it comes to embracing solid-state batteries, the first question for automakers is: What exactly is a solid-state battery?
As we all know, the main components of a power battery are threefold: the cathode, the anode, and the electrolyte.
Currently, the electrolyte in conventional batteries is liquid, with a separator in between, whereas solid-state batteries do not contain liquid electrolytes; instead, they rely on solid-state energy storage, and may not necessarily have separators.
Now, what are the advantages of solid-state batteries?
Firstly, solid-state batteries offer higher energy density, providing longer range once installed, akin to the difference between consuming a bowl of rice and a bowl of soup in terms of sustaining energy levels.
Additionally, solid-state batteries are more resistant to high temperatures and do not contain flammable electrolytes, making them safer alternatives.
The lifespan of batteries will also be extended, as during the charging and discharging processes, electrolytes can undergo side reactions, such as the formation of lithium dendrites, leading to the deposition of metallic lithium and even piercing the separator, causing a short circuit.
Solid-state batteries, lacking electrolytes, effectively alleviate the issue of battery aging.
In summary, concerns when buying electric vehicles, such as the risk of spontaneous combustion, thermal runaway, battery lifespan, and especially anxiety over winter driving range, will all be greatly alleviated with the adoption of solid-state batteries.
Solid-state batteries are the crucial foundation for ending the battle between oil and electricity.
The integration of solid-state batteries into vehicles not only benefits consumers but also brings new opportunities for automakers and electric battery companies.
In the past, joint ventures between major automakers and leading battery manufacturers relied on battery technology. With batteries being the core component, automakers often lacked autonomy and were at the mercy of others.
Now, solid-state batteries have given rise to new players, offering automotive companies a glimpse of new hope.
The rising star hopes to overtake on the bend and emerge as the next "Prince Ning," while automakers are betting on the newcomer, aiming to secure influence in the future.
The latest and perhaps best example is the newly listed Zhiji L6.
With a range of over 1000km, the Zhiji L6 is powered by solid-state batteries sourced from ClearCrystal New Energy, a startup affiliated with Tsinghua University.
As early as 2020, SAIC, behind Zhiji Auto, had already participated in Qingtao's investment. Later, it participated in two more rounds of investment, accumulating a total investment of 29.835 billion CNY over four years. Currently, SAIC holds a 15.29% stake in Qingtao. The two parties also established a joint venture and a joint laboratory responsible for the research and development of vehicle solid-state batteries. Through joint ventures and shareholding, SAIC has now expanded its say in the supply chain.
When it comes to this point, inevitably, questions arise: With newcomers making strides and solid-state batteries nearing mass production, where are CATL and BYD, the "Ning Wang" and "Di Wang," heading?
Both CATL and BYD have the technological reserves for this field, but for various reasons, their enthusiasm isn't high.
The most direct reason? Economic considerations.
For solid-state battery production, new production lines need to be established or existing ones need significant upgrades.
And because the investment in lithium-ion batteries hasn't yet yielded significant returns due to the production volume of some products not increasing, the costs of existing production lines haven't been recouped.
For example, CATL's heavyweight newcomer this year, the Godspeed ultra-fast charging battery, has only recently started to hit the market.
After massive initial investment, a new production line is finally up and running. However, it's hard to believe that a new line could be opened now.
Moreover, solid-state batteries still have some unresolved issues. Despite the considerable investment, they have yet to demonstrate overwhelming superiority over traditional lithium-ion batteries. For instance, their recharging speed lags behind, with some products even falling short of the rapid charging capabilities of current lithium-ion batteries.
In fact, some automotive CEOs have directly expressed their skepticism. One CEO went as far as saying that 150-degree (semi-solid) battery packs have more symbolic significance than actual practical benefits.
Let's delve into the challenges facing solid-state batteries, starting with the technical hurdles.
Solid-state batteries currently have three mainstream technology routes based on electrolyte materials:
Polymer systems: These offer the advantages of being lightweight, low-cost, and easy to process. However, they suffer from low ion conductivity at room temperature, resulting in slow charge and discharge rates.
Oxide systems: These exhibit good cycling performance and stability. Similar to polymer systems, their drawback lies in low ion conductivity.
Sulfide systems: While these boast high ion conductivity, they come with the drawback of generating hydrogen sulfide when exposed to air, which is toxic. Additionally, their production costs are relatively high.
The three major approaches also face common positive and negative issues. Compared to traditional liquid electrolytes, transitioning from a wetting form of soft contact to a solid-to-solid hard contact, solid-state electrolytes have smaller contact areas with the electrodes, resulting in higher impedance and a reduction in lithium ion channels.
Furthermore, some industry insiders believe that solely using solid-state electrolytes will not lead to an increase in battery density.
It is necessary to combine new materials to develop both the positive and negative electrodes.
In conclusion, currently, solid-state batteries still have many issues to address and have not shown absolute advantages.
For instance, the Zhiji L6 boasts a range surpassing 1000 km, but another common concern among car owners is the speed of recharging, which isn't particularly fast.
Zhiji officially claims "12 minutes to charge, adding 400 kilometers," whereas for the same range replenishment, the Shing Row ultra-fast charging battery only needs 10 minutes.
Apart from the technical challenges to overcome, as a new entity, initial production volumes haven't ramped up, undoubtedly leading to higher costs. Currently, it doesn't meet the conditions for widespread adoption.
With a price tag of less than 330,000 RMB for the Zhiji L6, it's evident that they're selling at a loss.
So the current challenge lies in commercialization.
NIO's introduction of semi-solid-state battery packs leverages its own advantages. It was previously revealed that in the initial stage, they would adopt a "rental-only" approach.
One day, when you feel like taking a long trip, you can go to an exchange station and rent a 150-degree semi-solid-state battery pack. When you return, you can still use a lower-degree battery pack.
In terms of range, NIO's semi-solid-state battery is not significantly different from the "solid-state battery" claimed by Zhiji.
Therefore, there has been controversy among netizens since Zhi Ji claimed to have installed solid-state batteries:
Does Zhi Ji really use solid-state batteries? And can semi-solid-state batteries be considered solid-state?
From the disclosed information, Zhi Ji's solid-state batteries are not fully solid-state; the liquid electrolyte content ranges from 5% to 15%.
According to the Qing Tao New Energy Plan, in 2024, the second-generation batteries will be mass-produced with the liquid electrolyte content reduced to below 5%.
Then, in 2027, the third-generation batteries will be mass-produced, which will finally be true fully solid-state batteries.
So, it's still a long way off before solid-state batteries hit the road, and of course, that's not what Zhiji is using.
Regarding the controversy surrounding solid-state batteries, Zhiji responded:
"Is a white horse really a horse?
What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section and let's discuss together."
Nowadays, the concept, advantages, and challenges of solid-state batteries are well understood by all.
There's one last question left unanswered: Which automotive CEO dared to make the bold statement that "the symbolic significance is greater" amidst the industry's fervor for solid-state batteries? Was it a veiled jab at competitors?
The one who uttered these words is none other than the CEO known for his straightforwardness, Li Bin, expressing his assessment of his company's high-capacity batteries.
On the very day when NIO launched its 150-degree (semi-solid-state) battery pack, Li Bin stated in a video conference:
To be honest, the symbolic significance outweighs the practical significance. Who has the time to drive over 1000 kilometers in one go anyway?
Li Bin believes that a 150-degree battery pack addresses only 1% of scenarios. With more charging stations and swap stations available, it's not necessary to purchase a large-capacity battery. Therefore, solely relying on the breakthrough of "solid-state batteries" cannot completely overturn the advantages of fuel vehicles. It requires collective efforts from the industry, such as relevant infrastructure construction.
Lastly, if we look back at the short three-plus months of 2024, one thing stands out:
In February, BYD achieved "electric cheaper than oil."
In early April, NIO and Qingtao, among others, took up the baton, striving to achieve "electric surpasses oil."
During this period, CATL's fast-charging batteries began to be installed in cars one after another. Although they are not yet as fast as refueling with gasoline, currently refueling a full tank of gas is still quicker than charging to full battery capacity.
However, CATL's actions are accelerating the popularization of fast-charging batteries, which will increase the overall average energy replenishment speed of electric vehicles.
The debate between buying cost, driving range, energy replenishment speed, and the battle between gas and electricity continues, but the advantages of gasoline cars are gradually being diminished.
