WeLion reportedly expects to ship NIO 150 kWh solid-state batteries at quantity in Q2 2024

Days after Chinese language automaker NIO showcased the large vary potential of its incoming 150 kWh solid-state batteries, their producer, WeLion, shared some perception on when customers can count on to see the know-how roll out in mass portions. This might herald a brand new period of EV mobility of safer automobiles that cost sooner and drive farther.

Stable-state batteries stay the holy grail for OEMs as their non-volatile, light-weight, and energy-dense properties supply the efficiency spec customers have lengthy sought of their determination to ditch gas-powered automobiles as soon as and for all.

Whereas solid-state know-how already exists and continues to evolve amongst a number of battery builders, the flexibility to scale and attain value parity with conventional lithium-ion cells stays a large hurdle.

Chinese language OEMs are paving the best way by introducing the primary passenger EV fashions to characteristic the tech. For instance, some automobiles with semi-solid-state cells are already on the market abroad, however we now have but to see the total potential of stable electrolyte batteries on the buyer market.

NIO ($NIO) hopes to vary that with its EVs, significantly its ET7 sedan. When the flagship EV was first launched in early 2021, NIO additionally unveiled a 150 kWh packed geared up with solid-state batteries from Beijing WeLion New Vitality Expertise, higher often known as WeLion.

Nevertheless, the general public noticed few updates on the progress of the possibly revolutionary battery know-how till this previous Might, when a submitting with China’s Ministry of Business and Data Expertise revealed that two NIO SUVs and one sedan would obtain battery upgrades utilizing cells from WeLion. By the tip of June, WeLion held a ceremony with NIO to commemorate the progress of the possibly revolutionary battery know-how.

Earlier this week, NIO founder, chairman, and CEO William Li took an ET7 geared up with WeLion’s solid-state batteries out for a variety take a look at and efficiently drove 1,044 km (650 mi) with 3% battery remaining.

Now that we’ve seen the vary potential of the solid-state packs in real-world driving conditions, WeLion has shared that it expects to start mass manufacturing of the packs subsequent 12 months.

NIO could also be first to supply EV lineup with solid-state batteries

In response to a report from Chinese language media outlet Jiemian, WeLion has made loads of progress on its 360 Wh/kg solid-state batteries for NIO and is planning to ship them in mass portions by April 2024. Per WeLion:

The corporate expects to provide semi-solid-state batteries to Weilai (NIO) in bulk in April subsequent 12 months. The particular scale can be decided based mostly on Weilai’s wants, and it needs to be a gradual climb.

NIO will use the solid-state batteries in a cell-to-pack (CTP) design that removes the necessity for modules, thus additional growing vitality density and, in consequence, all-electric vary. Whereas we’ve already seen the know-how propel NIO’s ET7 sedan, we should always count on to see solid-state batteries in loads extra of its present and upcoming fashions.

As we reported again in October, NIO’s preliminary checks with WeLion’s energy-dense cells led the automaker to file plans to increase the battery upgrades to 11 extra EV fashions. This Saturday throughout its annual NIO Day occasion, the automaker will unveil its most premium mannequin up to now – an government flagship sedan known as the ET9. No phrase but on whether or not that EV will supply the solid-state CTP know-how, however it might make sense given the sedan is predicted to debut as NIO’s most technologically superior providing up to now.

We’ll be taught extra as we enterprise into 2024 and method WeLion’s Q2 mass manufacturing goal.