CATL warns solid‑state EV batteries won’t hit mass market before 2030

CATL Group CEO Robin Zeng said the commercialisation of pure solid‑state batteries for electric vehicles remains several years away. The technology is currently at Technology Readiness Level 4, meaning it is still in laboratory validation and prototype engineering phases. Mass production is unlikely before 2030 and would require a volume of at least one million vehicles, a threshold the company does not expect to meet soon.

When the batteries eventually reach the market, Zeng expects them to be limited to premium models priced above 250,000 yuan (about $37,000). Manufacturing challenges include high‑pressure compaction that can cause material misalignments, leading to higher internal resistance and faster degradation. Solid‑state cells are also three to five times more expensive than conventional lithium‑ion cells. CATL is pursuing a sulphide‑based electrolyte, aims for a small‑batch pilot run by 2027, and participates in a government‑backed consortium (CASIP) targeting a supply chain by 2030, while also exploring sodium‑ion chemistry as an interim solution.