Electric Vehicles
Imagine lighter, safer, and faster charging. Imagine double the range, longer life span, and more thermal stability. Sounds like a myth right? But these are the benefits solid-state batteries can bring to electric vehicles, with some companies already aiming for 2026. The catch is that solid-state batteries have been promised for years. And, while it’s widely accepted that it’s a matter of when not if, how close we are to unlocking this new technology for commercial use?
What makes solid electrolytes so different?
Batteries generate electricity by unlocking chemical potential energy. All batteries require two electrodes, one positive called the cathode and one negative called the anode. These sit either side of an electrolyte, which can be liquid or, as new innovations suggest, solid. When a battery discharges, the positive ions usually Li plus move from the anode to the cathode. When the positive lithium ions form, they lose electrons, and once a circuit is connected, the electrons travel from the anode through the device that needs to be powered and on to the cathode, which generates an electric current.
Today lithium ion batteries are used in virtually all electric vehicles. These batteries use liquid electrolytes, which means they also need something called a separator to physically keep the anode and cathode apart. Because, there’s one rule you must know in battery world. Keep the positive and negative electrodes apart. The problem is that after many charge cycles, dendrites start to form on the anode. These are uneven lithium deposits that grow like a small branching structure, and if they grow too far, they can reach the cathode. And that’s when things can go very wrong. We’re talking explosion level wrong. This is why separators are essential.
Why solid-state batteries are a big deal
Solid-state batteries don’t need separators because the solid electrolyte is itself a separator. Removing the additional separator layer is like removing tomatoes from a BLT, the whole thing gets smaller, and that means you get a smaller and lighter battery. Solid-state batteries also experience slower dendrite formation, which contributes to a longer lifespan.
Today’s lithium ion batteries use graphite anodes. Solid state batteries can use anodes made of lithium metal itself, which is unthinkable when using liquid electrolytes, long story short it could result in fires and things blowing up again. But solid electrolytes make the unthinkable thinkable. Since lithium is lighter than graphite, it means you save on weight. You also get a big boost in energy density because, and you don’t need to be a scientist to grasp this, lithium metal can release more lithium ions than graphite because it is, well, lithium.
What this means in the real world
In 2024, New York City recorded 277 fires caused by lithium ion batteries. In London, the London Fire Brigade announced that 2025 could be the worst year yet for e-bike and e-scooter fires. Solid state battery technology could put an end to these incidents because it’s a lot safer, not only in cars but across a whole range of devices. Then there’s the increased energy density and lighter design of solid state batteries, which together can increase range. Tesla’s model Y can travel 372 miles on a single charge. Pretty impressive. But Chinese company Dongfeng wants to blow that out of the water. Using solid state battery technology, they are planning a model with more than 600 miles of range, aiming to produce and deploy it by September 2026. We’ll believe it when we see it, but you can’t deny it sounds impressive.
And they’re not the only ones. Toyota has said its solid-state batteries remain on track for 2027 to 2028, which isn’t surprising given it invested more than 13.5 billion dollars in advanced battery research. Their solid-state batteries are expected to last forty years, a lifespan that, if achievable, would completely reshape the second hand EV market and reduce the environmental impact tied to mining battery materials.
What’s the hold-up?
The biggest challenge associated with solid-state batteries is finding the right electrolyte. Research and development could hold the key, with AI stepping up to the challenge. A team at Microsoft Quantum recently used AI to screen more than 32 million potential materials for a solid-state electrolyte, something that would take humans years. They narrowed the list to eighteen and identified one promising candidate that uses seventy percent less lithium by incorporating sodium. They even powered a lightbulb with it. A small step, but still a step.
So how close are we really?
Top names are pouring money into solid state innovation. Toyota, BMW, and Samsung are all working on designs for test vehicles. But we’ve been here before, so any bold claims for 2026 are best taken with a pinch of salt. Still, once this technology finally reaches commercial scale, it will change the electric vehicle industry in a way that feels long overdue. Electrification is only moving forward, and solid state might just be the piece everyone has been chasing. It might even be the closest thing we have to a holy grail.
