019 Archivesfirst-ever small-scale use of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles could happen in 2027 in China, Ouyang Minggao, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Tuesday, reflecting Beijing’s growing efforts to catch up with rivals in the emerging technology. Ouyang, also vice chair of the think tank EV100, told a media event in Beijing that the number of patent filings by Chinese companies tripled that of their Japanese counterparts in the second half of last year, making it a landmark year for China. He estimated it would take five to 10 years for the technology to become widely available in the country. The comments came soon after BYD revealed plans to release new cars with all-solid-state batteries as early as 2027, a goal shared by peers including CATL and Changan Automobile. Chery Auto and GAC Group have set similar targets for 2026. Japan’s Toyota, a leader in the field, is expected to begin initial production in 2026. [TechNode reporting, Caixin, in Chinese]
