Chinese giant BYD has confirmed it plans to introduce a vehicle running its all-solid-state battery technology in 2027, bringing the potentially game-changing EV advancement another step closer to production.

However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be able to walk into a BYD showroom and buy a solid-state Sealion 7 or Atto 1 in 2027. Instead, the first vehicles are expected to form part of a small-scale demonstration and validation program as BYD works towards eventually putting the technology into series production.

“Even next year we will have one model that will be the first model with this technology there,” BYD executive vice president Stella Li told Carwow.es.

Teal BMW sports coupe speeding along a rural road with trees in the background.
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BYD has previously detailed plans to begin demonstration use of its all-solid-state batteries from around 2027, with some reports suggesting an initial fleet of around 1000 vehicles could be involved. Larger-scale adoption isn’t expected until around 2030 at the earliest, but it’s still a promising development in electric vehicle battery technology.

Solid-state batteries are regarded as one of the most promising developments in the industry. Unlike the conventional lithium-ion batteries currently fitted to most EVs, all-solid-state batteries substitute a liquid electrolyte with a solid material. Doing so has the potential to offer substantially greater energy density, which would allow manufacturers to either increase driving range while using a similar-sized battery to today’s EVs, or reduce the size and weight of a battery while maintaining a similar range.

Solid-state battery tech also promises improvements in charging performance and safety, though there are still significant hurdles to overcome, such as manufacturing, durability and cost.

The first production applications for BYD’s solid-state battery tech are expected to be at the expensive end of its ever-expanding model range, where the higher cost of the technology can be more easily absorbed. That could potentially make premium BYD-owned brands such as Denza early candidates for the new tech.

Chinese battery giant CATL is also aiming to begin small-scale solid-state battery production next year, while Geely and several other Chinese battery manufacturers are working towards similar timelines. For now, 2027 could be a major year for EV development, and we’ll have to wait and see what’s in store.