According to EnergyTrend, Dongfeng Motor and Chery Automobile have recently disclosed updates on their solid-state battery R&D, covering cell performance improvement, vehicle-level testing, pilot line construction and subsequent application roadmaps.
Dongfeng Motor: 350Wh/kg Battery Completes Cold-Region Testing; 400Wh/kg All-Solid-State Battery Undergoing Vehicle Validation
On October 21, at the 2026 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference, Feng Changjun, General Manager of Dongfeng Motor, stated that the company’s self-developed new-generation fast-charging semi-solid battery is scheduled for mass adoption in 2027, while its 400Wh/kg all-solid-state battery is in the prototyping phase and undergoing vehicle integration validation.
Dongfeng’s roadmap spans near-term deployment and next-generation technology development. Its 350Wh/kg semi-solid battery has passed cold-region testing and is readying for mass production. The 400Wh/kg all-solid-state battery remains under R&D prototyping and vehicle validation, with different maturity levels and commercialization timelines for the two technologies.
Since the start of this year, Dongfeng has steadily advanced validation and application preparation for its semi-solid batteries. On January 14, a prototype vehicle equipped with Dongfeng’s 350Wh/kg battery departed Wuhan for Mohe, Heilongjiang, to conduct cold-weather calibration tests. According to official disclosures, the battery has completed verification of its materials and electrochemical system and rolled off the pilot production line.
On May 8, the Hubei Solid-State Battery Industry Technology Innovation Consortium, led by Dongfeng Motor with 18 partner entities, was officially inaugurated. Dongfeng said it has built an end-to-end in-house platform covering R&D, prototyping and pilot production, with a tiered product portfolio including 240Wh/kg, 350Wh/kg, 400Wh/kg and 500Wh/kg variants.
In September, Dongfeng shared further deployment plans for the 350Wh/kg semi-solid battery. The battery is targeted for vehicle installation in Q4 2026, with a goal of delivering 50,000 vehicles fitted with its in-house solid-state batteries by 2027.
Chery Automobile: 400Wh/kg Solid-State Battery Unveiled; Pilot Line Slated for Operation in 2027
On October 20, Chery released the latest progress of its Rhinoceros Battery at the 2026 Global Innovation Conference held in Wuhu. The Chery Rhinoceros S solid-state battery cell achieves an energy density of 400Wh/kg, operates across a temperature range of -40°C to 100°C, and has passed the 200°C hot-box test. Chery also announced that its solid-state battery pilot line is planned to go into service in 2027.
Chery noted that it is concentrating resources to resolve challenges related to battery pack systems and the DMS management system, adding that solid-state batteries still face a long path from lab development to large-scale commercialization. The information released at the conference grounds Chery’s solid-state battery advances in three key areas: cell performance, system development and pilot line buildout.
Chery has pressed ahead with solid-state battery R&D throughout the year. On March 18, during the Chery Battery Night event, the brand outlined its technical roadmap for the Rhinoceros Battery, divided into three dedicated lines for hybrid, pure electric and solid-state applications. Two solid-state routes were revealed: the 400Wh/kg cell adopts sulfide solid electrolyte paired with a high-nickel ternary cathode; the 600Wh/kg cell uses in-situ polymerized solid electrolyte and lithium-rich manganese-based cathode. At the time, Chery targeted semi-solid batteries for vehicle integration in Q4 2026 and all-solid-state batteries for on-board validation in 2027.
On September 3, at the 2026 World Power Battery Conference, Yin Tongyue, Chairman of Chery, updated the solid-state battery progress again. He confirmed the Rhinoceros Battery portfolio covers hybrid, BEV and solid-state products, with solid-state cells reaching 400Wh/kg. The semi-solid version remains on track for vehicle loading in Q4 2026, and all-solid-state batteries for on-board validation in 2027.
In terms of R&D investment, Chery issued procurement notices for a range of solid-state battery equipment via its sourcing platform in early October. The list includes ultrasonic spot welders, Raman spectrometers, ICP-OES systems, defoaming machines, roll presses, slitting machines and sealing machines, supporting material analysis, testing and cell fabrication processes.
Source：EnergyTrend