p>The company "Ganfeng Lithium", one of the world's largest producers of metallic lithium, announced that it has begun small-batch production of a solid-state battery cell with an energy density of 500 watt-hours per kilogram. This was revealed in minutes from an investor meeting published by the company on Wednesday.

According to the manufacturer, this refers to a 10 Ampere-hour capacity cell, which "Ganfeng" claims is the world's first solid-state product of this size to reach the 500 Wh/kg threshold. The company defines this milestone as a new benchmark for the future commercialization of solid-electrolyte lithium-metal batteries.

Progress in cycle life at 400 Wh/kg

In parallel with the production breakthrough, "Ganfeng" also reports progress regarding lifespan. A separate solid-state cell with an energy density of 400 Wh/kg has surpassed the 1100 charge cycle mark and successfully passed engineering validation.

Company representatives point out that this result demonstrates sufficient durability for potential applications in electric vehicles, drones, and vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. According to them, this is a key indicator that the technology is closer to real market readiness compared to most competing prototypes.

It is noted that reaching 1100 cycles at such energy density is particularly significant, as many existing solid-state developments have suffered from accelerated degradation during repeated charging – one of the main barriers to commercialization. The validation performed by "Ganfeng" shows that the company has managed to address at least part of these issues.

Integration into the global supply chain

"Ganfeng" already has long-term lithium supply contracts with leading automotive manufacturers such as "Tesla", "Volkswagen", "BMW", and "Hyundai". This enables the new solid-state developments to be integrated into the broader supply chain for electric vehicle battery systems.

The agreement with "Hyundai", signed at the beginning of 2024, provides for the supply of lithium hydroxide until the end of 2027. Such contracts create a framework in which potential future generations of solid-state cells can find a direct path to mass automotive production.

From semi-solid to fully solid-state solutions

The current announcement comes against the backdrop of an announcement from February, according to which "Ganfeng" began mass production of semi-solid batteries with an energy density between 400 and 650 Wh/kg for non-automotive applications. These products are primarily aimed at specialized industrial and stationary solutions.

The new fully solid-state cell with an energy density of 500 Wh/kg represents a separate product line, which the company is positioning as a foundation for future solutions in the automotive industry and aviation. The goal is to offer batteries in the long term that combine high energy density, improved safety, and sufficient cycle life for real transport applications.

Potential applications and technological challenges

According to "Ganfeng", the combination of 500 Wh/kg energy density and a stable lifespan of over 1000 cycles opens up possibilities for significantly increasing the range of electric vehicles without increasing the weight of the battery pack. In current architectures, this would mean longer distances on a single charge or lighter batteries for the same range.

The company emphasizes that while the technological breakthrough is significant, commercialization at scale requires additional engineering tasks to be solved – related to production capacity, costs, compatibility with existing platforms, and safety under real-world operating conditions. Nevertheless, "Ganfeng" sees the new solid-state cells as a key step toward the next generation of energy systems for electric transport.