Photo: Mullen
More battery producers in China started boasting about cracking the solid-state battery problem. After BYD denied mass-producing SSB cells, NIO’s battery supplier WeLion announced that it produced the first solid-state battery cells at its new production facility in eastern China.
NIO works with several battery suppliers to advance the solid-state battery (SSB) agenda, with the NIO ET7 expected to be the first EV model with the new battery tech. It didn’t happen so far, despite Gotion and WeLion working on SSB cells for NIO’s swappable batteries. The main reason is that solid-state cells still have durability problems caused by the dendrite formation between the electrodes. These can grow until shorting out the cells, rendering them unusable.
However hard it is to solve this problem, NIO’s supplier WeLion claims it has been able to produce the first SSB cells at its new factory in Huzhou (eastern China). The production start is considered a significant milestone, paving the way for the first deliveries to NIO. WeLion celebrated the moment, and the ceremony was attended by NIO’s senior vice president Zeng Shuxiang. Zeng is also the CEO of XPT, NIO’s electric drive division, and a director of WeLion.
WeLion started construction of its battery factory in Huzhou in 2021 and completed the works after one year. The company’s executives boasted about a smooth rollout for the first solid-state cells and working with “leading international car companies” to mass produce SSBs, according to CnEVPost. There are no further details about the new cells, although previous information might shed some light on this.
NIO was supposed to start using a battery pack made with hybrid liquid-solid electrolyte cells by the end of this year. Nevertheless, it announced in September that a delay of several months should be expected. According to previous rumors, the NIO ET7 flagship sedan was the main candidate for the 150-kWh battery pack made with semi-solid-state battery cells. This capacity is enough to power the car for a 1,000-km (621-mile) range.
However hard it is to solve this problem, NIO’s supplier WeLion claims it has been able to produce the first SSB cells at its new factory in Huzhou (eastern China). The production start is considered a significant milestone, paving the way for the first deliveries to NIO. WeLion celebrated the moment, and the ceremony was attended by NIO’s senior vice president Zeng Shuxiang. Zeng is also the CEO of XPT, NIO’s electric drive division, and a director of WeLion.
WeLion started construction of its battery factory in Huzhou in 2021 and completed the works after one year. The company’s executives boasted about a smooth rollout for the first solid-state cells and working with “leading international car companies” to mass produce SSBs, according to CnEVPost. There are no further details about the new cells, although previous information might shed some light on this.
NIO was supposed to start using a battery pack made with hybrid liquid-solid electrolyte cells by the end of this year. Nevertheless, it announced in September that a delay of several months should be expected. According to previous rumors, the NIO ET7 flagship sedan was the main candidate for the 150-kWh battery pack made with semi-solid-state battery cells. This capacity is enough to power the car for a 1,000-km (621-mile) range.
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