other-main-lithium-producers-ideas-on-solid-battery-development
Reader question
Hello Yesa, in your last blog you mentioned the CATL’s opinion on world solid battery development routes in 3 stage, but how about other main lithium producers’ ideas on this? What are the differences? Thanks.
OK, most other top-tier lithium battery producers share a broadly similar cautious realism with CATL on true large-scale commercial adoption in EVs, while being somewhat more aggressive on pilot / small-scale production and early niche applications (especially robots & humanoids). Large-volume, cost-competitive mass production for mainstream EVs is generally placed around 2029–2030 or later.
Here’s a summary of recent positions (primarily 2025–mid-2026 statements) from the other leading global players:
BYD (China’s #2 battery maker / integrated EV giant)
- ●Targets small-scale / trial production of sulfide-based (or dual-electrolyte halide + sulfide) all-solid-state cells in 2027.
- ●Broader commercialization / mass production toward 2030.
- ●Chief scientist Lian Yubo has noted the tech is at a “critical breakthrough stage”.
Samsung SDI (South Korea)
⚡ Most aggressive among the majors- ●Aims for mass production starting in H2 2027 at its Ulsan plant.
- ●Pilot line already operating; samples under evaluation.
- ●First applications lean toward humanoids / robots.
LG Energy Solution (South Korea)
- ●Plans to commercialize all-solid-state batteries for EVs by 2029.
- ●Strong focus on dry electrode technology to aid manufacturing.
- ●Exploring robotics as an earlier entry point.
SK On (South Korea)
- ●Commercialization of sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries by 2029.
- ●Pilot plant completed in Daejeon (2025); focusing on process optimization.
Panasonic Energy (Japan)
- ●Sample shipments of all-solid-state targeted within fiscal 2026.
- ●Prioritizes compatibility with existing equipment and niches.
- ●Realistic and cautious, similar in spirit to CATL.
Overall consensus vs. CATL
- ●Shared views: True large-scale, cost-competitive adoption in mass-market EVs is widely seen as a ~2030+ story.
- ●Differences: Korean players target earlier “mass production” (2027); Chinese majors stress the gap between pilot and volume.
- ●Industry-wide pattern: Pilots 2026–2027 → first commercialization 2027–2029 → mainstream volume 2030+.
💬 In short, CATL’s “three-path” caution is not an outlier. If you have other comments, please leave message to us via below.