Factories Now Assessing Solid-State Battery Performance
Solid-state batteries, a promising technology for the electric vehicle (EV) industry in the United States, are set to revolutionise the way we power our vehicles. These batteries replace liquid electrolytes with solid materials like ceramics, polymers, or composites, offering several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Currently, EVs run on lithium-ion batteries, which are approaching their energy density ceiling. Solid-state batteries, however, promise over 400 Wh/kg energy density with lithium metal anodes, a significant improvement.
One of the companies at the forefront of this technology is Toyota. They are pursuing a hybrid approach with sulfide-based materials for solid-state batteries, targeting late 2025 deployment in the USA. Sulfide-based electrolytes, used in Toyota's polymer-ceramic hybrid approach, conduct ions better than most ceramics and bend without breaking, making them ideal for solid-state batteries.
Manufacturing solid-state batteries, however, is a significant challenge. High contact resistance and mechanical stress during cycling are major issues. Quality control becomes a significant challenge at scale for solid-state battery systems. Companies are facing manufacturing challenges in transitioning from pilot-scale to continuous, automotive-scale manufacturing of solid-state batteries. Existing lithium-ion gigafactories are not yet optimised for solid-state battery manufacturing in the USA.
Several industry players are pursuing different methods for solid-state battery manufacturing, including bulk ceramics, thin-film/roll-pressed composites, and polymer-ceramic hybrids. Honda has already begun production using roll-pressing techniques for solid-state batteries in the USA. In January 2025, Honda launched solid-state battery production using roll-pressing at its Sakura demonstration facility. Roll-pressing is the most pragmatic approach to solid-state battery manufacturing, adapting proven techniques from conventional lithium-ion production.
Ion transport in solid-state batteries happens through the crystal structure of solid materials. This is a significant departure from lithium-ion batteries, where ions flow through a liquid electrolyte. This solid-state design offers several advantages, including increased safety and the potential for faster charging times.
Environmental demands drive up costs for solid-state battery manufacturing, due to the need for bone-dry manufacturing environments or special atmospheres in the USA. The electric vehicle battery market is projected to reach $181.8 billion by 2032 from $92.7 billion in 2025, indicating a growing interest in alternative battery technologies.
Other companies, such as Volkswagen (through PowerCo and Elli), BASF, Nissan, and Rimac Technology, are also actively involved in solid-state battery development in the USA. While no exact timelines for commercialisation by 2025 have been detailed, these companies are making significant strides towards industrialising the technology.
Achieving mass-market deployment of solid-state batteries by the end of 2025 remains highly challenging. With broad commercialization across global EV platforms more likely in the 2027-2028 window, the race is on to overcome the manufacturing challenges and bring this promising technology to the market in the United States.
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