Science and Technology Daily | Boosting the Innovative Development of All-Solid-State Batteries in China

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) represent a commanding height for the future energy sector and are now at a critical window leading to industrialization. Globally, R&D and industrialization competition for all-solid-state batteries has reached a white-hot stage, featuring a complex landscape of parallel technological routes, accelerated industrial layouts, and intertwined cross-border cooperation and regional rivalry.

China maintains an internationally leading position in all-solid-state batteries across scientific output, technological innovation, industrialization progress and scenario application, laying a solid foundation for industrial innovative development, as illustrated in the following aspects.

China ranks among the world's top tier in scientific research output of all-solid-state batteries. The number of Chinese academic papers on all-solid-state batteries has surged from 21 in 2015 to 562 in 2023, topping the global chart. A steady stream of groundbreaking achievements has emerged. Institutions including the Institute of Physics and the Institute of Metal Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as Tsinghua University, have tackled world-class challenges such as solid-solid interfacial contact, paving the way for the mass production of all-solid-state batteries from laboratory prototypes.

China has grown into a major source of all-solid-state battery technologies. In terms of global patent filings for solid-state batteries, approximately 37% originate from Japan and 30% from China. In terms of industrial layout, China has overtaken Japan to become the world's largest market for solid-state battery deployment, accounting for around 35% of global projects. When it comes to specialized technologies, China leads the world in patent filings for all-solid-state battery electrolytes, making up roughly 39% of the global total.

China's industrialization progress for all-solid-state batteries keeps pace with global frontrunners. Leading enterprises worldwide are transitioning all-solid-state batteries from pilot test lines to low-volume production. Small-scale mass production is projected to kick off in 2027, with full commercialization expected by 2030. Flagship Chinese manufacturers such as CATL and Gotion High-Tech match international advanced standards in technological maturity, pilot production line construction and yield rates.

Application scenarios for China's all-solid-state batteries are expanding to diversified fields. Electric vehicles remain the primary application market for all-solid-state batteries. Boasting high energy density, superior safety and long cycle life, all-solid-state batteries address critical pain points of traditional industries and serve as a core driver for future industrial growth. Their application scope is extending from electric vehicles to electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), humanoid robots, consumer electronics, energy storage and more.

Multiple Challenges for Industrial Development

Despite China's leading edges in many dimensions, the industry still grapples with insufficient technological accumulation, hard-to-break technical bottlenecks and inherent inertia in industrial system transformation, putting China at a disadvantage in the race for global technological dominance and international collaboration.

Overseas players are accelerating their layouts, exposing China to the risk of being overtaken via alternative technological routes. On one hand, major developed economies and regions worldwide have ramped up policy support for all-solid-state batteries. The US, Europe, Japan and South Korea have rolled out dedicated strategies, increased funding and introduced special policies to build systematic industrial frameworks and seize leadership over next-generation battery technologies. On the other hand, traditional automakers, leading battery manufacturers and solid-state battery tech startups across the globe have rushed into this track, forming a diversified competitive landscape.

Critical technical bottlenecks remain unresolved alongside uncertainties over viable technological routes. From a technical perspective, core key technologies of all-solid-state batteries require intensified research, including fundamental issues such as battery failure mechanisms, as well as industrialization challenges involving solid-solid interfaces, lithium dendrite growth and ion transport mechanisms. Three mainstream R&D routes dominate all-solid-state battery development: sulfide, oxide and polymer systems, with regional manufacturers opting for differentiated paths. To date, no single technological route has become universally standardized. Each of the three routes carries trade-offs in ionic conductivity, stability, cost and technical maturity, and an all-around optimal solution has yet to be developed. While China has deployed resources across all mainstream routes, emerging novel technologies and solutions pose risks of eroding its current leading position.

The depth of technological accumulation lags behind global peers, and China lacks globally competitive flagship enterprises. Though China hosts the largest number of active all-solid-state battery enterprises, its depth of technological accumulation falls short of overseas counterparts. Among the world's top 30 institutions with patent filings for all-solid-state batteries and electrolyte materials, 17 are Japanese, 7 Chinese, 5 South Korean and 1 European; all top 10 patent holders are Japanese and South Korean entities. China's relatively weak technological reserves and lagging industrial layout may create technical and intellectual property barriers in future R&D and global market expansion.

The industrial system faces restructuring hurdles with notable transformation inertia. The approaching mass production timeline for all-solid-state batteries will trigger not only technological upgrades but a full reconstruction of industrial and innovation chains. China has established a complete industrial chain for liquid and semi-solid batteries covering raw material and substrate production, cell and battery pack assembly, equipment manufacturing and battery recycling. Shifting toward all-solid-state batteries will disrupt the existing industrial framework. In addition, China has yet to build standardized systems covering safety testing, lifespan evaluation and market access for all-solid-state batteries, risking a scenario where China leads in technology yet lacks a voice in global standard-setting.

Cross-border collaborative R&D has become a prevailing trend, yet China's internal innovation coordination remains weak. Competition in the all-solid-state battery sector is systemic, and cross-institutional, cross-border collaborative innovation is a key development trend. Japan has mobilized nationwide resources to commercialize all-solid-state batteries via government-industry-academia alliances. The South Korean government has united power battery giants including LG Energy Solution, SK On and Samsung SDI into a battery consortium. The US Department of Energy launched the Battery500 Consortium to boost cross-departmental and cross-sector collaboration. By contrast, China's all-solid-state battery innovation ecosystem suffers from inconsistent strategic consensus, fragmented R&D resources and poor coordination between industry, universities and research institutes.

Recommendations to Drive Innovative Development of China's All-Solid-State Batteries

To foster innovative progress in China's all-solid-state battery industry, top-level strategic planning must be strengthened with coordinated fiscal, taxation, standard, platform, application and international cooperation policies. Efforts should accelerate technological iteration, improve the industrial sector's flexibility for system transformation, and boost industrial competitiveness and sustainable development capacity.

1. Strengthen Strategic Planning for All-Solid-State Battery Innovation and Development

Accelerate the formulation of a comprehensive strategic roadmap for all-solid-state batteries, featuring systematic arrangements for basic and core key technology R&D, coordinated development of materials and manufacturing equipment, and standard formulation. Roll out targeted fiscal and tax incentive policies for equipment upgrading and market promotion, adopting interim policy tools such as end-user application subsidies, tax reductions and demonstration projects to nurture the early-stage market. Leverage China's ultra-large domestic market to advance collaborative innovation linking all-solid-state batteries with humanoid robots and low-altitude equipment. Deploy new scenarios and applications to drive technological iteration and maturation.

2. Advance Full-Spectrum Intellectual Property and Standard Layout

Establish a technical roadmap and dynamic evaluation mechanism for all-solid-state batteries. Conduct regular global technology assessments to track progress and bottlenecks of mainstream solid electrolyte routes including sulfides, oxides, polymers and halides, and dynamically adjust priority funding targets. Synchronize R&D and standardization work to accelerate the formulation and release of standards covering product performance, market access, safety and testing. Step up intellectual property accumulation across core links of all-solid-state batteries, and pursue targeted overseas patent filings aligned with global market expansion strategies.

3. Improve the Collaborative Innovation Ecosystem

Launch interdisciplinary, cross-entity joint research targeting material modification, interface engineering and large-scale manufacturing technologies to build integrated experimental and production capacity for all-solid-state battery materials, cells and systems. Support leading tech enterprises in forming all-solid-state battery innovation consortia to elevate overall innovation capacity across the full industrial chain, universities and research institutes, and forge new competitive advantages for the industrial system. Scale up funding for all-solid-state battery innovation platforms, encouraging the construction of AI-driven R&D platforms, databases, pilot test bases and public testing platforms to enhance supply of generic technologies and public services.

4. Boost the Flexibility of Industrial System Transformation

Encourage parallel R&D and competition among multiple electrolyte routes (oxide, sulfide, polymer, etc.) to avoid locking the industry into a single technological path. Build a platform-based and modular industrial innovation ecosystem. Governments shall take the lead in establishing shared R&D and pilot lines focusing on key generic technologies such as interface engineering and mass production processes. Facilitate modular alliances among material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, cell producers and vehicle OEMs to cut production line transformation costs and enable rapid redesign spanning material systems to battery pack architecture. Diversify financial support tools and set up industrial transition funds dedicated to flexible production line upgrades and technological conversion for enterprises.

5. Guide Enterprises to Conduct Well-Ordered International Cooperation

Expand all-round cooperation with emerging markets in the new energy storage sector, covering product exports, joint ventures and co-developed R&D projects. Closely monitor overseas policy shifts, support enterprises to jointly mitigate potential risks in foreign markets, and back upstream and downstream industrial players to expand overseas as a collective. Build stable overseas supply chains centered on critical mineral resources.