China Accelerates Solid State Battery Push With 2026 Production and 2027 Vehicle Trials

China’s race to commercialise solid state batteries has entered a new phase in 2026, with major battery suppliers and automakers moving from laboratory research into early production expansion and pilot vehicle integration programs.

Industry announcements over recent months show overlapping timelines across the supply chain. Several leading battery manufacturers have confirmed plans to begin scaled pilot production this year, while automakers are preparing demonstration fleets targeted for 2027. Broader deployment later in the decade remains the stated objective, depending on manufacturing maturity and cost control.

Unlike lithium iron phosphate and ternary lithium chemistries, the solid state segment in China does not yet have a single dominant player. Companies are advancing multiple technical pathways, including sulfide, oxide, polymer and hybrid condensed state architectures. This diversity reflects ongoing experimentation as firms balance energy density, safety and scalability.

CATL, the world’s largest EV battery producer, is pursuing parallel development tracks. Its condensed state battery, which combines solid and liquid elements, has reached reported energy densities around 500 watt hours per kilogram and is entering early production expansion. The company has also completed pilot development of sulfide based all solid state cells targeting similar density levels, with pilot manufacturing planned for 2026 and initial vehicle integration projected for 2027.

BYD is focusing on sulfide based designs using high nickel cathodes and silicon based anodes. Company disclosures suggest target energy densities near 400 watt hours per kilogram, with cycle life claims reaching up to 10000 charge cycles under laboratory conditions. BYD is also expanding oxide based battery capacity, including a planned production line in Chongqing intended to support demonstration vehicles before possible wider commercial rollout closer to 2030.

Gotion High Tech has announced that it will begin solid state battery production in 2026, targeting pilot deployment around 2027. Its Jinshi prototype has demonstrated energy density of approximately 360 watt hours per kilogram. Other suppliers are concentrating on specific material systems. Ganfeng Lithium is developing oxide based solid state batteries paired with lithium metal anodes, while QingTao Energy, Sunwoda Electronic and SVOLT Energy are progressing sulfide and polymer variants with commercialisation ambitions within the next few years.

At the automaker level, companies including Geely and Chery have publicly aligned their vehicle demonstration programs with battery pilot timelines, aiming to introduce solid state powered test fleets around 2027. State owned manufacturers such as Dongfeng Motor and GAC Aion have also outlined research and integration plans, signalling broad participation across the sector.

Equipment and materials suppliers are expanding capacity to support new manufacturing processes. Production of solid electrolytes and compatible cathode materials is advancing alongside specialised assembly equipment designed for next generation battery architectures.

Solid state batteries are widely viewed as a potential breakthrough in energy density and thermal stability, replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with solid materials. While 2026 marks the beginning of expanded pilot production in China, full scale commercial adoption will depend on cost reductions, yield improvements and successful real world validation over the next several years.