Multiple enterprises are accelerating the mass production process of solid-state batteries and solid-liquid hybrid batteries, implementing safety standards for power batteries, and comprehensively strengthening the management of waste power battery recycling... From material innovation to closed-loop recycling, the entire power battery industry chain is accelerating its transformation from scale expansion to high-quality development. China's power battery industry is entering a window period of comprehensive upgrading.
Parallel breakthroughs in technological routes to accelerate the industrialization of solid-state batteries
As the core direction of the next generation of power batteries, solid-state batteries are accelerating from the laboratory to industrial applications, and the pace of industrial implementation is accelerating.
On July 13th, Guoxuan High tech publicly announced that its G-yuan solid-liquid hybrid battery has completed multiple tests and validations, successfully passed the summer and winter extreme condition tests, and has mass production capabilities. Doktes also recently announced that its all solid state battery GWh production line has been put into operation. At the same time, the all solid state battery with an energy density of 500Wh/kg has completed process validation on the R&D production line at the Shanghai R&D center and is about to begin pilot production line certification. It is expected to complete GWh production line certification and start mass production within 2028.
In addition, more companies are involved in the development of solid-state batteries. On July 14th, Funeng Technology publicly announced that the company's second-generation sulfide all solid state battery has completed technological development. It uses a lithium rich manganese based/high nickel ternary positive electrode and a lithium metal negative electrode, with thermal runaway self shutdown function and an energy density increased to 500Wh/kg.
Sun Cailiang, Vice President and Director of the Technology Center of Honeycomb Energy Technology Co., Ltd., mentioned at the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance 2026 Annual Forum (hereinafter referred to as the "Annual Forum") that liquid batteries are still an absolute mainstream in the short to medium term, with multiple systems coexisting for a long time, among which iron lithium batteries still dominate the market. However, the small-scale infiltration of hybrid solid-liquid batteries is an important means to improve the safety and low-temperature performance of liquid batteries. This route of hybrid solid-liquid batteries will coexist and develop with other technologies in the long term.
2026 is the first year of mass production of solid-liquid hybrid batteries, which will be prioritized for use in high-performance scenarios such as low altitude and high-end passenger cars, and gradually penetrate into the application field of large capacity iron lithium batteries. All solid state batteries are expected to be demonstrated and installed in 2027, but the production volume still needs some time. Based on this, our overall strategic positioning of Honeycomb Energy is to solidify the foundation of iron lithium batteries, and to comprehensively upgrade ternary lithium batteries to hybrid solid-liquid and enhance overall product competitiveness, "said Sun Cailiang.
The industry bids farewell to the 'barbaric growth' after the implementation of strong recycling standards with effective results
If solid-state batteries represent the technological future of power batteries, then the improvement of the recycling system determines the bottom line of the industry's sustainable development. In sync with breakthroughs in front-end technology, the recycling and utilization of power batteries is entering a critical period of institutionalized reshaping.
On April 1st of this year, the Interim Measures for the Management of Recycling and Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries for New Energy Vehicles were officially implemented. The "15th Five Year Plan for Solid Waste Pollution Prevention and Control" recently issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and six other departments also proposes to "formulate and revise technical specifications for pollution control in the recycling and treatment of waste power batteries, wind power equipment, etc." and "implement extended responsibilities for power battery and new energy vehicle producers.
Under policy guidance, leading enterprises have accelerated the layout of recycling capacity. The relevant person in charge of Xinwangda introduced that the company has established a "1+N+X+Y" battery recycling model, and by the end of 2025, has laid out 5 recycling factories, 10 physical dismantling factories, and 50 recycling outlets, covering 31 provinces across the country.
The relevant person in charge of Changan Automobile revealed that Chenzhi Group and Changan Automobile have teamed up with industry leader Tianqi Shares to establish Chenzhi Anqi (Chongqing) Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. as a joint venture. The overall construction plan of the project is divided into three phases, covering a total area of 237 acres, with an estimated equipment investment of 415 million yuan. It aims to build a large-scale industrial recycling capacity for lithium iron phosphate and ternary batteries in stages. At present, we are promoting the construction of the first phase of production capacity: building one 0.1GWh per year waste power battery cascade production line, two 20000 ton per year waste power battery crushing production lines, and one 20000 ton per year waste lithium iron phosphate (LFP) wet regeneration production line.
Intelligent recycling is becoming a new focus for enterprises. Zhang Yuping, Deputy General Manager of Greenmei Co., Ltd., stated that the company's developed neural symbol embodied intelligent disassembly system has reached the L3 conditional intelligent disassembly level, which can achieve a success rate of over 98% for single machine autonomous disassembly tasks and a success rate of over 98% for multi robot collaborative tasks.
But the industry still faces the reality of "difficult recycling". The relevant person in charge of Xinwangda admitted that small workshops, due to their low environmental protection costs, are able to purchase retired batteries at higher prices, which makes it difficult for legitimate enterprises to recycle and leads to a shortage of raw material supply. In addition, the significant differences in battery structure among different brands also increase the cost and difficulty of automated disassembly. In response, Xinwangda is promoting the standardization initiative of battery specifications, collaborating with industry associations to release group standards, and investing in the research and development of adaptive fixtures to adapt to various types of batteries.
Multi party collaboration between government and enterprises to build a new pattern of industrial development
After more than a decade of development, China's power battery industry has built the world's most complete independent and controllable full industry chain, and its production, sales, and loading scale has consistently ranked first in the world for many years. As the scale dividend gradually peaks, the industry is shifting from simple scale expansion to comprehensive strength competition across the entire chain.
Qu Guochun, Director of the Equipment Industry Development Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated at the annual forum that power batteries are the core components of new energy vehicles and a key support for promoting high-quality development of the new energy vehicle industry. They have significant implications for energy structure transformation, automotive industry upgrading, and the implementation of the "dual carbon" strategy.
At present, China's power battery industry is in a critical period of transformation from scale expansion to high-quality development. We will work together with industry institutions and backbone enterprises to accelerate the development of carbon footprint accounting rules for power batteries that are suitable for the actual situation of China's industry, establish verification standards and other standard systems, so that accounting methods can be based on evidence. For common basic data such as power structure, key raw materials, and carbon footprint factors, we are leading the establishment of an authoritative and dynamically updated localized carbon footprint background database, and we also welcome industry colleagues to actively participate in related work, "said Qu Guochun.
In terms of cutting-edge technology, Ma Chunsheng, Director of the Automotive Development Department of the Equipment Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that efforts will be made to increase key technology research and support joint innovation and research between upstream and downstream. Key breakthroughs will be made in key technologies such as solid-state batteries and high specific energy lithium-ion batteries, and efforts will be made to increase the research and application of materials such as lithium rich manganese based cathodes, silicon-based cathodes, and physical electrolytes, in order to strengthen fundamental capabilities. Enhance the level of large-scale intelligent flexible manufacturing and testing and verification capabilities, and continuously improve product performance and quality.
The current global automotive industry has entered a new stage of accelerated development, which has put forward higher requirements for the safety, green, durability and other performance of power batteries. It is necessary to further strengthen innovation driven and improve the quality of power batteries. In the next step, we will focus on the new development stage, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development concept, strengthen departmental coordination, improve support policies, and continue to promote the high-quality development of the power battery industry, "said Ma Chunsheng.
From the acceleration of solid-state batteries towards industrial implementation, to the 100 day operation of new recycling regulations, and to the release of the "15th Five Year Plan" for solid waste, China's power battery industry is undergoing an unprecedented full chain systematic upgrade.