Great Wall Motors announces breakthrough in solid-state battery and ultra-fast charging tech

Great Wall Motors (GWM) has announced a significant breakthrough in its development of solid-state battery and ultra-fast charging technologies. The Chinese automotive giant says it has successfully produced solid-state pouch cells, which is the final in the development of solid-state batteries. It will now focus on scaling up the model as a commercial product for large-scale manufacturing.

Solid-state batteries, unlike current lithium-ion batteries, use a solid material in place of the liquid electrolyte in lithium-ion batteries. This means that solid-state batteries have significantly higher energy densities and faster charging than lithium batteries.

Overheating is a serious safety concern for EVs and solid-state batteries offer better stability in this regard. They are less prone to overheating and possible fires which are recurrent issues with lithium-ion batteries. These batteries expectedly have greater reliability within a broader temperature range including in cold weather conditions. GMW says it is exploring diverse battery chemistries in addition to its solid-state efforts.

GMW is also making significant inroads in ramping up charging speeds through its development of ultra-fast charging technology. The GMW 4C supercharging battery cell is estimated to add up to 311 miles (500 km) in range with just 10 minutes of charging. This has great positive implications on long-distance EV travel, as it virtually eliminates the time penalty.

GMW is also developing a 6C cell that will further cut the charging time. It is expected that the GMW solid-state battery and ultra-fast charging products will soon be released. These technologies could debut on the Tank 800 SUV by the end of 2024. The GMW Lightning Cat sedan will also be refreshed later this year and it could incorporate the latest GMW battery tech.

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