Changan to fit solid state batteries to cars by late 2026
Chinese EV brand Changan says it will start trialling cars with solid state batteries by autumn 2026 ahead of mass roll out in 2027.
The firm behind the Deepal S05 and S07 claims that its “Golden Bell” solid state battery is able to deliver up to 1,500km of range thanks to an energy density of 400Wh/kg.
Changan first announced its plans to start testing solid state cells in 2025 but has now confirmed its timescale in an update on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It said it would begin testing the batteries in robots and EVs in the third quarter of 2026 ahead of mass production and roll-out in 2027.
The company hasn’t released any more details about its solid state battery apart from claiming safety has been improved by 70% through remote diagnostics and AI analysis. It is expected to confirm capacity, charging power and official range once trials begin this autumn.
Solid state batteries are seen as the next major technological advance for electric vehicles. Their alternative chemistry allows far greater energy density than traditional lithium-ion batteries as well as far faster charging. Manufacturers say that with solid state EVs will be able to deliver range and refuelling parity with petrol and diesel cars.
While many manufacturers, including Toyota, Mercedes and Stellantis are working on the technology, progress has been slower than expected.
In recent weeks Donut Labs announced that its first commercially viable solid state battery can charge to 80% in just four minutes. However, the test was carried out on a single cell and further testing is needed to establish its speed and durability in larger applications.
As well as solid state batteries, Changan is understood to be working on sodium-ion technology with Chinese battery giant CATL. While these have a lower energy density than even many of today’s lithium-ion batteries, they rely on fewer rare resources so are cheaper to produce.
