LG Energy Solution said solid-state batteries are unlikely to enter the mass-market electric vehicle sector first, because manufacturing them in large quantities and sizes remains a major challenge for most companies. The statement was made during a roundtable with journalists at the company’s new plant in the US state of Michigan.
Robert Lee, president of LG Energy Solution North America, explained that solid-state batteries offer high energy density, but achieving this advantage is easier when manufacturing small cells. Companies still face significant difficulties producing the large-format cells required for electric vehicles.
Specialized applications may precede cars
According to Lee, solid-state batteries may appear commercially on a broader scale in smartphones roughly a decade before electric vehicles. Potential early applications include drones, specialized products and high-performance electric vehicles, in addition to other uses the company did not specify in detail.
This does not mean the technology remains confined to laboratories. Mercedes-Benz covered approximately 750 miles on a single charge in an EQS prototype equipped with a semi-solid-state battery from Factorial Energy, while BMW installed a fully solid-state battery from Solid Power in an i7 prototype. Stellantis is also testing a semi-solid-state pack in a Dodge Charger Daytona EV. However, these examples remain tests or prototypes and do not yet prove readiness for broad commercial production.
An Asian race and unresolved timelines
In China, BYD, CATL, Geely and other companies are working to develop pilot programs for solid-state batteries, targeting the launch of some programs in 2027 and the possibility of expanding deployment by the end of the decade. These plans show that the technology race is continuing, but they do not eliminate the obstacle identified by LG Energy Solution: moving from a successful cell or prototype to a large product that can be manufactured consistently and at a suitable cost.
The alternatives arriving sooner
LG Energy Solution says improvements to current lithium-ion batteries will continue to increase vehicle range and charging speed. The company is working with General Motors on lithium- and manganese-rich (LMR) batteries, which use significantly smaller quantities of nickel and cobalt and rely more heavily on manganese that can be processed in the United States. According to GM, these batteries are intended to power its trucks and large sport utility vehicles starting in 2028, with a range exceeding 400 miles and a cost close to that of lower-priced LFP batteries.
LG Energy Solution is also preparing to produce 46-series lithium-ion cells at its planned megafactory in Arizona. The company says the larger size of these cells suits vehicles with structural battery packs, while subsequent developments may enable 10-minute charging and improve pack safety. The company is also researching sodium-ion cells and preparing a pilot program to use them in energy-storage systems.
Why does this news matter?
The most important information is not a specific delay, but a redefinition of the bottleneck in solid-state batteries: theoretical advantages and energy density alone are not enough to launch mass-market electric vehicles. Companies still have to prove that they can manufacture large cells reliably and on a broad scale. As a result, small and specialized applications appear to be a more realistic initial path, while timelines for broad commercial electric vehicle use remain unresolved. In the meantime, battery companies are betting on improving lithium-ion and sodium-ion chemistries rather than waiting for a single technology to solve all range, charging and safety limitations.