At the 2024 World Power Battery Conference, which opened on September 1, Zeng Yuqun, chairman of CATL, and Sun Huajun, CTO of BYD, respectively expressed their views on the development of sulfide solid-state batteries.
Zeng Yuqun, chairman of CATL, pointed out that the current (solid-state battery) industry's highest level is only 4, and some device samples have been made and some experimental verifications have been carried out. He uses numbers 1 to 9 to indicate the maturity of solid-state battery technology and manufacturing. It is just the beginning to involve the field for 1, and it means that technology is mature and ready for large-scale production for 9.
BYD CTO Sun Huajun predicts that the demonstration period of sulfide solid-state batteries is expected to be from 2027 to 2029, mainly for mid-to-high-end electric vehicles. In addition, Sun Huajun emphasized the impact of sulfide solid-state batteries on battery life and fast charging. He expects that from 2030 to 2032, sulfide solid-state batteries will enter a period of expansion and will be applied to mainstream electric vehicles.
A number of leading companies anchor sulfide all-solid-state batteries
It is reported that the development of solid-state battery technology mainly revolves around different solid-state electrolyte materials. At present, the main technical routes include oxides, sulfides, polymers and halides, each with its own unique advantages and challenges.
According to TrendForce's latest report, Global Solid-State Battery Market Development Trend Report (2024), the sulfide route continues to make new breakthroughs and is attracting more and more attention, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, where Toyota, Panasonic, Samsung SDI, LGES, SK On, CATL, BYD, and Gotion Hi-Tech have chosen this route, and more than half of the mature companies have chosen the sulfide-based technology route.
CATL has adopted innovative strategies to improve the stability of sulfide electrolytes and reduce costs, including using a hydrophobic layer of reversible amphiphilic molecules to improve air stability, and developing new synthesis routes and low-lithium materials.
According to the previously exposed solid state battery planning, BYD solid state battery or will use high nickel ternary + silicon base negative + sulfide electrolyte technology route. Its cell can do super 60A, mass ratio and volume specific energy density of 400Wh/Kg and 800Wh/L respectively, battery pack energy density of 280Wh/Kg.
In May, Gotion released to the public the company's self-developed all-solid-state battery product - "Goldstone Battery", which adopts the route of sulfide electrolyte, and based on the micronization of sulfur-silver germanium ore-type materials (D50 no more than 500nm). Its The electrolyte can realize a high conductivity of more than 10mS/cm.
In June this year, EVE has also revealed that in the all-solid-state battery electrolyte route, the company choose the sulfide and halide composite solid-state electrolyte route. It is expected to break through the production process in 2026 to release all-solid-state batteries, and in 2028, the launch of all-solid-state batteries with an energy density of up to 400Wh/kg.
In addition, it is understood that OEMs such as Guangzhou Automobile Works (GAW) and FAW are also actively approaching the sulfide all-solid-state route. GAC released an all-solid-state battery with an energy density of 400Wh/kg or more in April this year, and plans to first equip it with its Hao Platinum model in 2026. Some sources say that Guangzhou Automobile may have adopted sulfide electrolytes.
TrendForce predicts that in the future, with the optimization of sulfide electrolyte and precursor L2S synthesis process routes, coupled with the application of electrolyte scale, its cost is expected to further decline, and it is expected that in 2030, after the realization of all-solid-state batteries to achieve mass production scale will open the channel to reduce the cost of the sulfide electrolyte is expected to drop in price to less than 60 $/kg ($430RMB/kg).