Is BYD about to have a battery breakthrough? BYD to start mass installation of solid-state batteries for electric cars within five years to rival Toyota, Nissan, MG and Honda

Chinese car brand BYD has made a bold claim at a recent conference, with executives confirming BYD plans to have mass installation of solid-state batteries into electric cars by 2027.

The move is a step towards what Chinese auto media is calling ‘large-scale installation’ by 2030, which is when BYD expects to be able to bring solid-state batteries for electric cars into the mainstream.

Sun Huajun, CTO of BYD’s Lithium Battery Company said the hope is that solid-state and traditional batteries will be close to each other regarding price by the end of the decade, according to CarNewsChina.

It comes after Lian Yubo, BYD’s chief scientist and automotive engineer, said in terms of solid-state batteries, “three years will be difficult, and five years will be more realistic”.

Sun Huajun said between 2030 and 2032 will be the period in which solid-state batteries see mass uptake, after winding up from 2027 onwards.

"These batteries are expected to be incorporated into mainstream EV models by 2030," said Sun as reported by China Daily.

As well as BYD’s outline for the future, Wang Deping, Chief Scientist of Chinese state-owned FAW Group, said small-scale introduction of solid-state batteries is planned for 2027.

It’s a bold claim that, if true, could see electric car driving ranges increase significantly, though the industry seems to remain split on whether solid-state batteries are truly achievable for mainstream (i.e. affordable) use.

Last year at the launch of the Audi Q6 e-tron, senior drivetrain engineers told CarsGuide the technology wasn’t likely to be feasible for ‘everyday’ cars in the foreseeable future due to the miniscule manufacturing margins of error required.

It seems unless there’s a major manufacturing breakthrough, some brands foresee solid-state batteries being limited to the upper echelons of the electric car market.