Chongqing - The global race for solid-state batteries is intensifying, and China is seizing an edge with its full industrial ecosystem and vast market—while Chongqing rises as a key hub, driven by major projects and leading automakers.
Talent New Energy, a solid-state battery company in Chongqing, operates its production line to manufacture battery products. (Photo/Talent New Energy)
The country’s largest solid-state battery production base is under construction in Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area, and leading supplier Ganfeng Lithium has chosen the city for its global flagship facility and research institute.
Ganfeng Lithium, China’s top lithium producer and a global leader in lithium metal and hydroxide, is investing in Liangjiang New Area to boost the new energy vehicles (NEV) battery supply chain and speed up the region’s push toward electrification and high-end auto development.
The city is also home to leading automakers such as Changan Automobile and Seres. Changan’s ambitious transition to NEV is expected to generate demand for millions of advanced batteries locally, providing a stable and immediate market for solid-state battery R&D, testing, and deployment—an advantage few other cities can match.
Solid-state batteries, first explored in the 19th century, long lagged behind liquid lithium batteries due to low conductivity and interface issues. Breakthroughs in materials science in the 21st century have now overcome these hurdles, opening the door to commercialization.
The concept of solid-state batteries dates back to the research in the 19th century. For more than a century, however, challenges such as low ionic conductivity and poor interface contact limited their competitiveness against liquid lithium batteries. With advances in materials science in the 21st century, improvements in conductivity and interface performance have paved the way for commercialization.
As recognition of their potential grows, solid-state batteries have triggered global competition across technology, capital, and supply chains. Four major blocs— the United States, Japan, South Korea, and China—have taken shape, with partnerships between automakers and startups driving faster innovation and industrial deployment.
In the United States, startups such as QuantumScape, backed by Volkswagen, and Solid Power, supported by Ford and BMW, are pursuing all-solid-state battery technologies. Targeting disruptive breakthroughs, they have secured substantial capital market funding and established pilot production lines ranging from hundreds of megawatt-hours to gigawatt-hours in scale.
Japan and South Korea are led by industry giants. Toyota holds over a thousand patents in solid-state batteries and is leveraging its expertise in materials and manufacturing to advance toward mass production. South Korea’s Samsung SDI and LG Energy Solution are building on their strengths in consumer electronics and conventional lithium batteries, with plans to begin mass production after 2027.
China’s strategy combines leadership by major enterprises with active participation from a broad range of innovators. CATL and BYD are focusing on sulfide-based technologies, supported by strong R&D investment and supply chain integration.
At the same time, companies such as WELION New Energy, Ganfeng Lithium, and Gotion High-Tech are making early commercial progress in semi-solid batteries, providing valuable data and engineering experience for the eventual development of fully solid-state technology.
China’s competitive edge lies in system-level advantages. As the world’s largest NEV market, the country offers unmatched application scenarios and room for rapid iteration. The demand from automakers for higher-range, safer batteries is becoming the primary driver of technological progress.
China’s dominance in liquid lithium batteries—from materials to manufacturing—provides a strong foundation for solid-state development, with existing processes helping cut costs and speed commercialization.
Still, challenges persist. Unlike the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, cities like Chongqing trails in raw materials, equipment manufacturing, and top talent for traditional lithium batteries. Its most urgent task is to build a cost-effective local supply chain around core projects to secure a firm foothold in the industry.