No all-solid-state battery is in a car you can buy today. The first limited production is targeted for 2026 to 2028 by several companies, and mass-market adoption is later. Toyota and its partner Idemitsu say they will begin limited production in 2027 or 2028. Samsung SDI plans mass production in the second half of 2027. Chinese makers claim pilot production this year, and CATL has said widespread commercialization is unlikely before 2030.
Range claims run high. Toyota cites 1,200 kilometers and a charge in under 10 minutes for a prototype pack, and a Mercedes EQS fitted with Factorial Energy cells covered 1,205 kilometers on one charge in a September 2025 test. Those are prototype results, not production specs. This article explains what changed in 2026, who is closest, what range gains to expect, and why timelines keep moving.
What Counts as Solid-State in 2026
A solid-state battery replaces the liquid electrolyte in a lithium-ion cell with a solid one. Sellers have stretched the label for years by calling cells with some liquid left in them “semi-solid-state.” China closed that gap. A new national standard took effect on July 1, 2026, according to CarNewsChina. To qualify as all-solid-state, a cell must pass a vacuum chamber test at 120 degrees Celsius for six hours with remaining liquid electrolyte below 5% of total cell weight. The standard eliminates the semi-solid-state label.
The rule matters to buyers because it makes claims comparable. A battery marketed as solid-state before July 2026 may not meet the definition. It also explains why companies now describe their products as “all-solid-state,” “sulfide,” “oxide-polymer hybrid,” or “lithium-metal,” and why those words are not interchangeable.
Toyota and Idemitsu: Limited Batches in 2027 or 2028
Electrek reported on January 30, 2026 that Idemitsu Kosan, Toyota’s partner, broke ground on an all-solid-state battery materials plant. Japan’s trade ministry approved the construction site. The facility is expected to be complete by the end of 2027 and make several hundred tons of material per year. Toyota’s production start is 2027 or 2028, initially in limited batches before scaling toward full commercialization.
Toyota’s earlier prototype pack claimed a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) range and a charge in under 10 minutes. Electrek notes the remaining hurdles, including finding the proper electrolyte and the higher manufacturing cost. Autoblog adds that Toyota has pursued solid-state batteries for more than twenty years without a concrete production date in that article, which shows how often the target has moved.
Samsung SDI: Mass Production From Late 2027
Battery-News reported on August 3, 2026 that Samsung SDI plans mass production in the second half of 2027 at its Ulsan plant in South Korea. The cells use sulfide-based solid electrolytes and target an energy density above 900 watt-hours per liter. A 6,500-square-meter pilot line operates at the Suwon research center, where Samsung says material and manufacturing validation is complete.
Samsung SDI has allocated 25 trillion won, about $17 billion, for 2026 to 2040, with 16 trillion won going to Ulsan. Sample cells have gone to companies in electric vehicles, embodied AI, and humanoid robotics. Production will start in South Korea and expand overseas after the scaling is validated.
QuantumScape: Pilot Line and Licensing
Electrek reported on February 5, 2026 that QuantumScape inaugurated its Eagle Line pilot facility. It produces QSE-5 solid-state lithium-metal cells for sampling, testing, and product integration, and Volkswagen Group attended the ceremony as an automaker partner. Volkswagen’s PowerCo subsidiary has a licensing agreement with QuantumScape. The company called the event its “Kitty Hawk moment.” The line is a pilot facility, not mass manufacturing, and licensing partners are expected to build the gigawatt-hour factories themselves. The article gives no automotive production date.
Mercedes, Factorial, and ProLogium
Mercedes-Benz reported that a lightly modified EQS with a lithium-metal solid-state battery covered 1,205 kilometers on a single charge. Electrek’s December 2025 report puts the test in September 2025, with 106 amp-hour cells from Factorial Energy, and says the car still had some charge left. Factorial’s CEO, Siyu Huang, said solid-state batteries could power EVs as soon as 2027, starting in high-performance or luxury models such as the Dodge Charger Daytona. Factorial planned to list on Nasdaq through a SPAC merger valued at about $1.1 billion, with closing expected in mid-2026. This article did not confirm whether that closing happened.
Carscoops reported in September 2026 that Mercedes also deepened its partnership with Taiwan’s ProLogium, gaining priority access to test the company’s fourth-generation lithium ceramic cells. ProLogium is developing a factory in Dunkirk, France with capacity of up to 44 gigawatt-hours. No series-production date was given, and Mercedes continues to test Factorial’s cells separately.
China: Pilot Lines and a Slower CATL View
Several Chinese groups claim progress this year, and the claims differ in credibility.
Greater Bay Technology and GAC
Electrek reported on April 15, 2026 that Greater Bay Technology, backed by GAC Group, said its first A-sample all-solid-state cells rolled off a production line and passed safety tests without fire or explosion. It claims energy densities of 260 to 500 watt-hours per kilogram, 2C to 3C fast charging, and mass production in 2026. GAC’s own mass-production ramp is listed as 2027 to 2030. Electrek stresses that A-sample cells are early prototypes and success depends on proving performance in mass production.
Dongfeng and Others
CarNewsChina reported that Dongfeng Motor plans a 0.2 gigawatt-hour plant in the second half of 2026 using oxide-polymer hybrid cells at 350 watt-hours per kilogram, with 100 demonstration vehicles in Hubei province and a 1,000-kilometer range target. Changan and Geely are tracking vehicle validation and pack integration for the third quarter of 2026. Gotion has completed pilot verification with domestic equipment.
CATL’s Caution
The same CarNewsChina report says CATL predicts widespread commercialization is unlikely before 2030. CATL is the world’s largest battery maker, so its caution deserves weight against the more optimistic claims.
How Much Range Will Solid-State Add?
The answer depends on energy density, which is how much energy a battery stores for its weight or volume. Higher density allows more range in the same space or the same range in a smaller, lighter pack.
The claims cited above include 260 to 500 watt-hours per kilogram for Greater Bay’s A-sample cells, 350 watt-hours per kilogram for Dongfeng’s hybrid cells, and more than 900 watt-hours per liter for Samsung SDI’s target. Range figures attached to these cells are 1,000 kilometers or more from Dongfeng, Greater Bay, and GAC, and 1,200 kilometers from Toyota’s prototype. The Mercedes test reached 1,205 kilometers.
Treat these with care. A test drive in a modified car under chosen conditions does not equal a certified range for a production vehicle. Standard test cycles differ by region, and none of the sources reviewed provide production-vehicle range figures. The honest summary is that solid-state cells could add significant range, and that no production car has yet shown it.
Charging speed is the second claim. Toyota says under 10 minutes for its prototype, and Greater Bay claims 2C to 3C, which in theory means a full charge in roughly 20 to 30 minutes. That second figure is the writer’s arithmetic and not a company statement.
Why Timelines Keep Slipping
Electrek’s Toyota report names the core problems. The right electrolyte is hard to find, and manufacturing costs are higher. The Greater Bay and QuantumScape examples show the next step. Making a few pilot cells is different from making millions at consistent quality, and every company’s current timeline depends on proving that.
Costs matter too. Early solid-state packs will likely appear in luxury or limited-run models first. Factorial’s CEO named high-performance and luxury cars, and Toyota says limited batches. None of the sources reviewed give a price premium, so any figure would be a guess.
What This Means for Buyers
If you plan to buy an EV in the next two years, you will almost certainly buy a lithium-ion pack. Shopping for solid-state means waiting for a first-generation product in a limited model, probably at a premium, with unproven durability. Ordinary lithium-ion packs continue to improve, and for the near term the practical choices are the chemistries already on sale.
Watch for three signals. A Toyota, Mercedes, or Samsung SDI customer announcing a specific model and date would be the first. Independent range testing of a production car would be the second. Third-party durability data over many charge cycles would be the third, since long-term cycle life has not been demonstrated at scale.
How to Read an Announcement
Solid-state news arrives in a predictable set of phrases, and each one means something different. A “pilot line” means a small facility that makes sample cells for testing, which is the stage QuantumScape reached with its Eagle Line. A “sample” or “A-sample” means an early prototype cell, as in Greater Bay Technology’s report. “Limited production” means small batches for select vehicles, which is Toyota’s stated plan. “Mass production” means large-scale manufacturing, which Samsung SDI targets for the second half of 2027.
When you see an announcement, ask four questions. Is the cell fully solid under China’s July 2026 definition, or does it use a hybrid electrolyte? Is the claim from a laboratory cell or a vehicle test? Does the company name a customer and a car model? Is there an independent test? Most 2026 announcements answer yes to the first two at best, which is why this article treats the dates as targets.
What Could Go Wrong
Three risks can delay the technology. The first is manufacturing yield, meaning how many cells come off a line without defects. Every source reviewed describes pilot output, and none reports yield at scale. The second is cost. Toyota’s partner is building a plant that will make several hundred tons of material per year, which is a small volume next to what millions of vehicles need. The third is durability. A cell that performs well in a test drive has not yet proved it can survive thousands of charge cycles over a decade.
None of this means the technology will fail. It means the first products are likely to be limited, expensive, and aimed at premium or performance vehicles, which matches what Factorial’s chief executive and Toyota have each said.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will solid-state batteries be in EVs?
Limited production is targeted for 2026 to 2028, with Toyota and Idemitsu aiming at 2027 or 2028 and Samsung SDI at the second half of 2027. Mass-market adoption is expected later, and CATL says widespread commercialization is unlikely before 2030.
How much more range will a solid-state battery give?
Companies claim 1,000 to 1,200 kilometers for prototype or target cells, and a Mercedes EQS test covered 1,205 kilometers. These are prototype figures. No source reviewed gives certified range for a production solid-state car.
Is semi-solid-state the same as solid-state?
No. China’s standard effective July 1, 2026 requires all-solid-state cells to contain less than 5% liquid electrolyte by weight after a vacuum test at 120 degrees Celsius for six hours, and it removes the semi-solid-state label.
Which companies are closest to production?
Toyota with Idemitsu, Samsung SDI, Factorial Energy with partners such as Mercedes and Stellantis, QuantumScape with Volkswagen’s PowerCo, and several Chinese groups are all working toward pilot or limited production. Their dates are targets, not guarantees.
Should I wait for a solid-state EV before buying?
Only if you do not need a car soon. Current lithium-ion EVs are available now, and the first solid-state models are likely to be limited and expensive.
References and Sources
CarNewsChina, “China’s new solid-state law takes effect: Dongfeng leads solid state battery factory race”: https://carnewschina.com/2026/07/13/chinas-new-solid-state-law-takes-effect-dongfeng-leads-solid-state-battery-factory-race/
Electrek, “Toyota partner breaks ground on all-solid-state EV battery plant”: https://electrek.co/2026/01/30/toyota-partner-breaks-ground-on-all-solid-state-ev-battery-plant/
Autoblog, “This Startup Could Beat Toyota to the EV Holy Grail”: https://www.autoblog.com/news/this-startup-could-beat-toyota-to-the-ev-holy-grail
Battery-News, “Samsung SDI Plans Mass Production of Solid-State Batteries Starting in 2027”: https://battery-news.de/en/2026/08/03/samsung-sdi-plans-mass-production-of-solid-state-batteries-starting-in-2027/
Electrek, “QuantumScape inaugurates Eagle Line pilot for solid-state battery production”: https://electrek.co/2026/02/05/quantumscape-inaugurates-eagle-line-pilot-solid-state-battery-production/
Mercedes-Benz Group, “EQS with solid-state battery covers 1,205 km on a single charge”: https://group.mercedes-benz.com/technology/e-mobility/electric-drive/eqs-solid-state-battery.html
Electrek, “This solid-state EV battery maker is going public after a real-world test clears 745+ miles”: https://electrek.co/2025/12/23/solid-state-ev-battery-maker-going-public-after-745-mile-test/
Carscoops, “Mercedes Signs Huge Deal To Help Make Solid State Batteries A Reality”: https://www.carscoops.com/2026/09/mercedes-signs-huge-deal-to-help-make-solid-state-batteries-a-reality/
Electrek, “Solid-state EV batteries are coming sooner than expected after another breakthrough”: https://electrek.co/2026/04/15/solid-state-ev-batteries-coming-sooner-than-expected/
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