Major Chinese automaker Great Wall Auto (GWM) expects solid-state battery technology to play a significant role in the future development of electric vehicles, but the company does not anticipate large-scale commercialisation in the near term.
"Solid-state batteries are a new technology. We hope everyone can view its development rationally and avoid excessive hype," the company's chairman and chief executive Wei Jianjun said on social media today.
GWM's solid-state battery work remains in the research, development and verification stage, and the technology will need at least another five years to achieve commercial viability and vehicle application, Wei said.
The company is focusing on a sulphide-based technical route. It has achieved kilogram-scale production of sulphide solid-state electrolytes and developed 20Ah battery samples. But the technology still faces challenges related to cost, safety and performance, Wei warned.
Sulphide-based processes can release highly toxic gas when exposed to water, requiring strict production conditions and involving high costs, he said.
GWM produced 403,653 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in 2025, accounting for about 30.5pc of its total annual sales of 1.32mn units. The company has also invested in overseas production plants in Brazil, Russia and Thailand.
The global solid-state battery sector accelerated development in 2025. China has included the development of all-solid-state batteries its 15th Five-Year Economic Plan and the government allocated 6bn yuan ($870mn) to support research and development in 2025. But full-solid-state batteries have yet to reach commercial-scale production. Marketing efforts by some producers have focused more on conceptual promotion than on deliverable products.
Wei's assessment aligns with views expressed by some Chinese academicians. All-solid-state batteries with energy densities of 300–350 Wh/kg could complete vehicle-mounted verification, but such verification does not equate to large-scale mass production, said Ouyang Minggao, academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"The technological innovation of solid-state batteries should proceed step by step and should not be rushed," Ouyang said at a recent forum held by domestic research institute China EV100.
Despite development challenges and uncertainty over rollout timelines, industry participants still view solid-state batteries as a key direction for longer-term evolution. The technology could reshape demand for several battery raw materials over time.
The full solid-state battery industry in China began to take off in 2024. China's newly disclosed patents for full solid-state batteries accounted for 44 of the global total by 2025, surpassing Japan and achieving global leadership, Ouyang added.
