China’s Chery Automobile is stepping deeper into the global race to develop next-generation electric-vehicle batteries, announcing plans to begin vehicle validation of its all-solid-state battery technology in 2027.
The automaker plans to invest 10 billion yuan (about US$1.49 billion) in battery technology over the next two years and deploy approximately 1,200 engineers to accelerate development, according to comments from Chery Chairman Yin Tongyue at the 2026 World Power Battery Conference in Yibin, Sichuan.
The announcement puts Chery among a growing group of Chinese automakers and battery companies targeting 2027 for major solid-state battery milestones.
But there is an important distinction: Chery is announcing testing and validation—not mass production.
Chery’s 2027 battery test could be a major EV milestone
Chery says its solid-state cells have already reached an energy density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). The company’s Rhino S battery family also includes a technology route targeting 600 Wh/kg.
For comparison, Chery has said its 400 Wh/kg solid-state technology uses a sulfide-based solid electrolyte and high-nickel ternary cathode, while its higher-density 600 Wh/kg development uses a polymer-based solid electrolyte.
Higher energy density can potentially allow an EV to carry more usable energy without proportionally increasing battery weight. That could translate into longer driving range, lighter vehicles, or a combination of both.
Chery has previously claimed that one of its 600 Wh/kg solid-state battery concepts could enable an EV range of more than 1,500 kilometers under its stated testing assumptions. However, that figure is a company claim and should not be interpreted as the expected real-world range of a production vehicle.
Semi-solid batteries come first
Chery’s roadmap is not simply a jump from conventional lithium-ion batteries straight to all-solid-state technology.
The company plans to introduce a solid-liquid hybrid, or semi-solid, battery into vehicles during the fourth quarter of 2026. Full vehicle validation of the all-solid-state system is then scheduled for 2027.
That distinction matters because semi-solid batteries still contain some liquid electrolyte, whereas an all-solid-state battery is designed to replace the liquid or gel electrolyte with a solid material.
Several manufacturers are pursuing semi-solid technology as an intermediate step while attempting to solve the much harder engineering challenges involved in completely solid batteries.
Chery says safety comes before speed
Despite the aggressive timeline, Chery’s chairman has emphasized that the company will not put a battery technology into its vehicles simply to beat competitors to market.
Yin said Chery would not install a battery technology unless it proves sufficiently safe, a condition he said also applies to its next-generation battery programs.
That caution is significant because solid-state batteries are often promoted as being safer than conventional lithium-ion batteries, but higher theoretical safety does not mean the technology has already solved every real-world engineering problem.
The cells still have to demonstrate reliable performance under vibration, temperature changes, charging cycles, crashes and other demanding automotive conditions.
The biggest obstacle may be cost—not just technology
Solid-state batteries have attracted enormous attention because of their potential for higher energy density, faster charging and improved safety.
But making those advantages affordable at automotive scale remains a major challenge.
Recent industry reporting has highlighted problems involving manufacturing yield, materials costs, reliability and the interfaces between solid battery components. Unlike liquid electrolytes, solid materials do not automatically wet and maintain perfect contact with electrode surfaces as the battery expands and contracts during operation.
That means a successful laboratory cell is only one step toward a battery pack that can be mass-produced consistently and economically.
Chery isn’t alone in the 2027 race
The most striking part of Chery’s announcement may be the timing.
CATL and BYD are also targeting 2027 for small-scale solid-state battery production or deployment, while other Chinese automakers—including Geely and Dongfeng—are developing their own programs.
CATL, the world’s largest EV battery manufacturer, has nevertheless warned that mass-market solid-state batteries are still some distance away. CATL Chairman Robin Zeng said in June that the technology was around level 4 on a nine-level technology-readiness scale, with mass-market adoption potentially not arriving until around 2030.
That creates an intriguing split in the industry: 2027 could become the year of prototypes, pilot production and vehicle validation, while 2030 or later could be the more realistic timeframe for broad mass-market adoption.
Why this matters for global EV buyers
If Chery and its competitors can successfully move solid-state batteries from laboratory development into reliable vehicle testing, the implications could extend well beyond China.
A successful technology could eventually mean:
- Longer EV driving ranges
- Potentially shorter charging times
- Higher energy density
- Lower battery weight for a given amount of energy
- Improved resistance to certain thermal-safety risks
- Greater flexibility for automakers designing long-range EVs
But consumers should not expect every Chery EV to suddenly deliver 1,500 kilometers of real-world range in 2027.
The 2027 program is fundamentally a validation stage. Chery still has to demonstrate that the technology can survive the demands of everyday automotive use and be manufactured at commercially viable cost.
The bigger picture
Chery’s announcement is another sign that the global EV battery race is entering a potentially important phase.
China already has enormous scale in conventional EV manufacturing and battery production. Now its automakers are attempting to establish an early lead in what could become the next generation of battery technology.
Chery’s 10-billion-yuan investment, 1,200-engineer development push and 2027 vehicle-validation target show how seriously the company is treating that opportunity.
Yet the real question is no longer whether solid-state batteries can work in a laboratory.
The question is whether companies can make them safe, durable and cheap enough to put millions of EVs on the road.
And that is where Chery’s 2027 testing campaign could become much more important than another battery announcement.
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