Another company claims to have solid-state EV batteries in the works that will unlock well over 1,000 miles (3,000 km) of range and fast charging in just five minutes. And it’s not BYD this time. Is it too good to be true?

Can solid-state EV batteries unlock +1,000 miles range?

Last week, a local report surfaced, claiming BYD was already testing solid-state batteries in its Tesla Model 3-rivalling Seal sedan.

BYD addressed the rumors in a statement released on Monday (via CLS), saying, “Currently it is unknown, and the first model and parameters are not officially reported.”

In a new patent, discovered by CarNewsChina, Chinese tech giant Huawei filed for a sulfide-based all-solid-state battery. The new battery reportedly unlocks a driving range of up to 3,000 km, or over 1,800 miles, and supports ultra-fast charging in just five minutes.

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Is it really possible, though? To put that into perspective, the current longest-range electric vehicle you can buy, the 2025 Lucid Air Grand Touring, is rated with a WLTP driving range of up to 839 km (521 miles).

On the EPA scale, Lucid’s electric sedan is rated for a driving range of up to 512 miles and features fast charging (up to 200 miles) in 12 minutes.

That would mean Huawei’s new battery would unlock over three times the driving range while cutting charging times by over half. It would also have energy density that’s two to three times higher, between 400 and 500 kWh.

According to industry experts in Korea, the claims might be too good to be true. Yang Min-ho, professor of energy engineering at Dankook University, explained that “Even the most advanced lithium-ion batteries, which generally have higher capacity than solid-state prototypes, fall far short of that kind of range.”

Yang said that “Such performance might be possible in lab conditions,” adding “but real-world factors like energy loss and thermal management make mass production extremely difficult.”

The patent describes a new approach, doping sulfide electrolytes with nitrogen, to improve stability. According to a researcher for one of Korea’s major battery makers, the nitrogen doping approach is “a standard technique with limited scalability.”

“While nitrogen doping can help with interface stability, it’s usually done under vacuum and with great precision,” the researcher pointed out, adding “It’s not something you can scale for commercial production without major cost and time penalties.” They described it as “like trying to sprinkle pepper on a sandwich using tweezers.”

Although it sounds promising, Huawei’s patent needs additional third-party validation or other data to suggest it’s production-ready. “That’s the nature of patents. They grant rights, not credibility.”

According to the researcher, Korean battery giants, LG Energy, Samsung SDI, and SK On, don’t seem too worried. “We monitor developments in China closely, but this doesn’t look like a game-changer yet,” they said.

Samsung SDI has already sent solid-state battery samples to clients and aims to begin mass production by 2027: LG Energy and SK On both plan to introduce solid-state battery tech by 2030.

Are solid-state EV batteries capable of delivering ultra-long driving range as promised? It may, but it could be a few years before it hits the market. As Yang said, “Battery science doesn’t move in leaps. It moves in increments, and those increments take years to scale.”

Meanwhile, several automakers and others are also advancing solid-state EV batteries, promising longer driving range and faster charging.

Mercedes-Benz announced it had tested “the first car powered by a lithium-metal solid-state battery on the road” with Factorial Energy earlier this year using a modified EQS. Last month, BMW completed its first on-road tests using Solid Power’s all-solid-state battery (ASSB) cells. CATL, Stellantis, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Nissan have also announced plans to launch EVs with solid-state batteries in the next few years.

Will the “holy grail” of EV batteries live up to its hype? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: The Korea Herald

Toyota is finally getting into the game in the world’s largest EV market. On Friday, Toyota officially broke ground on the new Lexus EV plant in Shanghai, its first fully owned manufacturing facility in China and the second in the region, following Tesla.

Toyota is building a new Lexus EV plant in China

After officially announcing it would open a wholly-owned EV plant in China to build new energy vehicles (NEVs) for its luxury Lexus brand in February, Toyota is already kicking off construction.

Toyota finalized a deal with the Shanghai government on April 22 to build the facility. Just over two months later, the company is making swift progress in what’s being called “Lexus speed” locally.

The facility, which spans roughly 1.13 million square meters, could be one of Toyota’s most important to date. Following Tesla, which broke ground on its Shanghai Gigafactory in early 2019, Toyota is the second foreign automaker to construct a wholly owned auto plant in Shanghai.

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Construction is expected to be completed in August 2026, with production set to commence in 2027. According to local news outlet The Paper, the facility will be capable of producing up to 100,000 NEVs annually.

Although Toyota will use the new standalone Lexus plant to accelerate EV output, it will also be used to develop vehicles tailored to local buyers.

Since the plant is overseas in Shanghai Bay Area Hi-Tech Zone, Toyota established a “two-line collaboration,” which will enable “24-hour uninterrupted work.”

The first Lexus electric vehicle is scheduled to roll off the assembly line in 2027. Much like for Tesla, local authorities are providing generous support.

For example, the Jinshan District Investment Promotion Office introduced an “order-based” business agreement, addressing Toyota’s “demand list” in advance.

Electrek’s Take

Toyota will use the new Lexus plant as it looks to keep pace with BYD and other domestic EV leaders in China. After launching several new vehicles over the past few months, the Japanese automaker is already starting to gain some traction.

After launching the bZ3X in March, Toyota’s electric SUV was the best-selling foreign EV in China in April, its second month on the market.

Toyota’s electric SUV already outsold the Volkswagen ID.3, ID.4 Crozz, and BMW i3. The bZ3X is Toyota’s most affordable EV, launched in China with a starting price tag of just 109,800 yuan, or about $15,000.

Earlier this month, Toyota launched another electric SUV, the bZ5. The bZ5 is about the size of Tesla’s Model Y, but costs about half as much in China, starting at 129,800 yuan ($18,000).

These electric SUVs are significantly more advanced and feature-rich than the Toyota vehicles we’re accustomed to seeing. They feature advanced smart driving tech, massive touchscreens, and some added bonuses like a built-in refrigerator.

During its EV Tech Day event earlier this month, Toyota’s joint venture, GAC Toyota, announced partnerships with several “car industry bigwigs,” including Huawei, Xiaomi, and Momenta.

Can Toyota keep pace in China with an intensifying EV price war and influx of new low-cost domestic rivals? So far, the new vehicles are helping.

In April, Toyota’s sales in China increased by 20% compared to the same period last year, with 142,754 vehicles sold. Through May, Toyota’s sales are up 7.7% with 530,000 vehicles sold.

Source: The Paper