Chery advances with solid state batteries and predicts validation for 2027 By Beatriz
3 min read
 |
Chery has plans to install solid-liquid state hybrid batteries in its automobiles in the last quarter of 2026. Vehicle validation for the all-solid-state batteries is expected to begin in 2027.
This recent schedule places the Chinese manufacturer in the group of automakers seeking a commercialization window for solid-state batteries in 2027, intensifying the technological race in the sector.
Chery Auto has released its latest solid-state battery timeline, indicating its intention to begin in-vehicle validation of all-solid-state batteries in 2027.
The Chinese automaker’s president, Yin Tongyue, announced the plan on September 3, 2026, during the 2026 World Power Battery Conference, which took place in Yibin, Sichuan province.
Chery’s Rhino Battery line of batteries includes three distinct series, aimed at hybrid, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and solid-state applications. Yin Tongyue reported that the company’s solid-state cells have already reached an energy density of 400 Wh/kg, according to published information.
As a transitional measure, the solid-liquid hybrid version of the Rhino Battery is expected to be installed in vehicles from the fourth quarter of 2026. The all-solid-state battery will enter vehicle validation the following year, the executive said.
This timeline is broadly aligned with the roadmap that Chery presented in March, reinforcing that the solid-liquid state hybrid technology will be the first to be applied in vehicles.
At that time, Chery had communicated that its Rhino S series included a 60 Ah solid-state cell with an energy density of 400 Wh/kg.
The cell uses a solid sulfide-based electrolyte and a high-nickel ternary cathode, becoming one of Chery’s main technological routes to the commercialization of fully solid-state batteries.
In March, the company also showcased a polymer-based solid-state cell with an energy density of 600 Wh/kg. The company stated that this technology could allow a vehicle autonomy of more than 1,500 kilometers.
However, large-scale production of solid-state batteries still faces considerable challenges, including issues of cost, reliability and manufacturing yield.
Robin Zeng, president of CATL, stated in June that if the solid-state battery technology path were evaluated on a scale of level 1 to level 9, current progress would only be at level 4. Level 9, in turn, would indicate readiness for mass production.
Both CATL and BYD are targeting 2027 for small-volume implementation of all-solid-state batteries in their vehicles.
Geely Auto, for its part, announced in January that it plans to finalize its first internally developed all-solid-state battery pack in 2026 to begin vehicle validation.
Dongfeng Motor, on the other hand, expects to deliver 50,000 vehicles equipped with its internally developed solid-state batteries in 2027.
Yin Tongyue reported that Chery will move forward with several battery solutions in parallel. However, no technology will be used in vehicles until all strict safety requirements are met.
The Rhino Battery incorporates a “360-degree safety protection system” and must undergo tests that include high temperatures, extreme cold, collisions, scraping the chassis and immersion in water, the executive explained.
Yin also mentioned that green electricity accounts for more than 52% of the energy used in Chery’s manufacturing bases in China. Furthermore, carbon footprint accounting covers 100% of the models currently sold by the company.
He predicts that China’s auto exports are expected to surpass the 10 million vehicle mark by 2026, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) accounting for more than half of that total.
The global expansion of Chinese automakers should not just focus on short-term sales, but rather promote localized operations and industrial cooperation, said Yin Tongyue.
The 2026 World Power Battery Conference took place in Yibin, Sichuan Province, on September 3-4, 2026.
