According to EnergyTrend, solid-state battery projects have notched fresh milestones recently. On October 21, Phase I of Qingtao Power’s Kunshan solid-state power battery project went into operation with a designed capacity of 10 GWh. Meanwhile, Tianci Materials’ tonne-scale pilot line for sulfide solid-state electrolytes has been built and started trial production, with relevant samples submitted for customer testing.
Phase I of Qingtao Power’s Kunshan Solid-State Power Battery Project Commissioned
On October 21, the commissioning ceremony for Phase I of the solid-state power battery project of Qingtao Power Technology Development (Kunshan) Co., Ltd. was held in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province.
Jointly established by Huayu Automotive Systems Co., Ltd., an affiliate of SAIC Motor, and Qingtao (Kunshan) Energy Development Group, the project carries a total investment of RMB 8 billion. Phase I features a 10 GWh solid-state power battery manufacturing base, primarily to supply power batteries for SAIC Motor’s new energy vehicles.
According to releases from Kunshan Economic and Technological Development Zone, solid-state battery technologies co-developed by SAIC Motor and Qingtao Energy have already been adopted in mass-produced vehicle models. A cross-regional industrial chain collaboration model is taking shape: R&D and manufacturing in Kunshan, and vehicle assembly in Shanghai.
Qingtao Energy focuses on the R&D and manufacturing of solid-state lithium batteries, their key materials and production equipment. Throughout 2026, the firm has steadily expanded power battery capacity and built out its solid-state battery footprint.
In March, the solid-state battery production line of Taizhou Qingtao Energy Technology Co., Ltd. officially started operation. The first line boasts a designed capacity of 3.5 GWh for power cell production. Phase I of this project plans a 10 GWh solid-state power battery line, with two additional lines of the same scale slated for later construction.
On the capital market front, Qingtao Energy closed its Series H financing of approximately RMB 1.9 billion in February. On April 8, it submitted an application for a main-board listing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Proceeds are earmarked for manufacturing base construction, equipment procurement, R&D investment and business expansion.
Qingtao Energy is also advancing projects for energy storage and solid-state battery materials. In May, it signed an investment agreement with Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone for a 20 GWh solid-state cell and system manufacturing zero-carbon base, with a planned total investment of roughly RMB 5 billion.
Separately, Phase II of the solid-state battery dedicated materials and solid-state battery zero-carbon industrial park project of Qingtao (Wuhai) Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is under construction. It includes a 5 GWh semi-solid energy storage cell line and a 500-ton solid-state electrolyte line, scheduled to enter trial production in October 2027.
Tianci Materials Launches Trial Production at Sulfide Solid-State Electrolyte Pilot Line
On October 21, Tianci Materials announced that its Yichang 300,000 t/a electrolyte project completed filing in September. EIA, safety assessment, energy assessment and other approval procedures are underway, and construction is set to kick off this November. In parallel, its hundred-tonne-scale sulfide solid-state electrolyte pilot line in Jiujiang has been completed for trial production, and samples have been sent to customers for testing.
Located at Yaojiagang Chemical Park in Zhijiang, Hubei, the Yichang project is designed for an annual electrolyte output of 300,000 tonnes. Leveraging the Yichang base, Tianci Materials aims to build an integrated industrial complex covering phosphate ore, cathode precursors, lithium iron phosphate and electrolyte. Upon completion, it will further strengthen the company’s electrolyte capacity layout in central China.
Tianci Materials is pushing forward R&D and pilot validation of sulfide solid-state electrolytes. The company stated that the hundred-tonne Jiujiang pilot line is now in trial operation. Following site visits by overseas customers, samples have been dispatched for testing. It is also conducting sample matching and validation with leading domestic cell makers to verify material performance and processing compatibility.
Previously, during an investor relations event in March 2026, Tianci Materials noted that sulfide solid-state electrolytes were at the kilogram-scale sampling stage, and the hundred-tonne lithium sulfide and solid-state electrolyte pilot line was expected to come online in Q3 2026. Its UV adhesive frames tailored for solid-state batteries have achieved small-batch sales.
The company’s core business maintained growth in the first half of the year. Its semi-annual report shows that lithium-ion battery electrolyte shipments exceeded 440,000 tonnes in H1 2026, a year-on-year rise of around 41%. Energy storage electrolyte shipments more than doubled year on year. Operating revenue reached RMB 14.709 billion, up 109.28% YoY; net profit attributable to shareholders stood at RMB 2.86 billion, surging 967.91% YoY.
Tianci Materials added that its projects in the US and Morocco are progressing, with completion targeted between the end of 2027 and H1 2028. In September, it disclosed that its H-share issuance had been approved by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and offshore listing work is ongoing.
Source：EnergyTrend