Gasgoo Munich-"Solid-state batteries are just too expensive. I'll wait — I can't afford one right now." That sums up the prevailing sentiment among consumers today.
The industry has pegged 2026 as the "year one" for solid-state battery mass production. Heavyweights like CATL, BYD, and Gotion Inc. have rolled out aggressive timelines for all-solid-state batteries, while semi-solid variants are already being installed in vehicles at scale.
Yet, there's an awkward reality: true "mass production" of all-solid-state batteries remains elusive.
The supply chain, however, isn't waiting. From raw materials to finished cells, the drive to cut costs has already begun.
Right now, all-solid-state cells cost between 1.6 and 2.2 yuan per Wh — 3 to 5 times the price of mainstream liquid batteries. The technology isn't fully mature, and mass production is still a work in progress, yet the battle to drive down costs has already quietly begun.
With costs still prohibitively high and the supply chain eager to dismantle that barrier, the question looms:
Just how far is solid-state technology from a truly "affordable era"?
Timelines Are Set, But Cost Remains the Biggest Obstacle
Solid-state batteries are widely regarded as the "ultimate form" of energy storage. Their core advantage lies in replacing flammable liquid electrolytes with solid ones, eliminating safety risks at the root. They also promise to boost energy density from the current 250 to 300 Wh/kg to 400 Wh/kg — potentially even exceeding 600 Wh/kg.
That means longer range for the same battery pack size, or significantly lighter packs for equivalent range.
Driven by these enticing prospects, battery makers and automakers worldwide have poured resources into solid-state R&D over the past few years.
As 2026 unfolds, the industry looks markedly different: technical roadmaps have largely settled, national standards are taking effect, automakers are ramping up installations, and the supply chain is restructuring at a noticeable clip.
Notably, "Solid-State Batteries for Electric Vehicles Part 1: Terminology and Classification" takes effect on July 1 — the world's first national standard specifically for automotive solid-state batteries.
Several leading players have laid out clear timelines for all-solid-state mass production:
CATL plans small-scale production of sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries in 2027, followed by small-batch mass production in 2028. BYD is also targeting 2027 for small-scale output. Meanwhile, Gotion Inc. unveiled seven new products, including its "Jinshi" all-solid-state battery, at its 2026 Global Tech Conference, boasting energy densities exceeding 400 Wh/kg.
Yet, this flurry of timelines masks an awkward truth: solid-state batteries are still far from affordable.
All-solid-state cells currently cost between 1.6 and 2.2 yuan per Wh, whereas mainstream lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells have fallen to just 0.39 to 0.5 yuan per Wh.
Put another way, swapping the 70 kWh pack in a typical family EV for an all-solid-state version would add more than 80,000 yuan to the bill — just for the battery.
For consumers, that means paying a premium that vastly outstrips the tangible improvements in experience.
The immediate consequence of these stubborn costs is that all-solid-state batteries are unlikely to see mass adoption in passenger cars anytime soon.
Image source: TaiLan New Energy
Industry consensus suggests solid-state batteries will debut in sectors where cost sensitivity is low but energy density and safety are paramount — such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and humanoid robots.
In these fields, weight and safety matter far more than price, and operators are willing to pay a premium for higher energy density.
At the 2026 Shenzhen Drone Show, companies like TaiLan New Energy showcased mass-production-ready solid-state batteries for the low-altitude economy, confirming a "niche-first, mass-market-later" commercialization path.
For the mainstream passenger vehicle market, semi-solid-state batteries (containing 5% to 20% liquid electrolyte) serve as a bridge. Mass production began in 2026, with energy densities generally hitting 350 to 420 Wh/kg and ranges exceeding 1,000 km.
But semi-solid is merely an interim step.
For all-solid-state technology to reach the masses, it must first clear the cost hurdle.
Yang Rukun, chairman of Shenzhen Jiayang Intelligent Technology, has noted that manufacturing solid-state batteries requires a focus on future mass production to drive down costs. "Without scalable manufacturing technology, cost reduction remains a massive challenge," he said.
That highlights the core contradiction in cutting costs: economies of scale are needed to lower prices, but lower prices are needed to achieve scale — a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma.
Why So Expensive? Decoding the Cost of Solid-State Batteries
To understand why they are pricey, we have to break down the cost structure.
At its 2026 Global Tech Conference, Gotion Inc. provided some revealing figures: 70% to 80% of the cost of a sulfide-based solid-state battery comes from the solid electrolyte itself, and 70% to 80% of that electrolyte cost is driven by lithium sulfide.
That implies lithium sulfide alone accounts for roughly 50% to 64% of the total cost of an all-solid-state battery.
"To achieve cost reductions at scale, the first hurdle to clear is the cost of lithium sulfide," said Pan Ruijun, a senior director at Gotion Inc.
Gotion Inc. has pioneered a "gas-liquid-solid three-phase synthesis" method to produce lithium sulfide. The company plans to launch a 1,000-ton production line in 2026, aiming for 50,000 tons of annual capacity by 2030. By controlling core raw material costs at the source, Gotion hopes to seize the "levers" of cost reduction.
Beyond lithium sulfide, the manufacturing process itself poses significant cost challenges.
Traditional liquid lithium battery manufacturing has been refined over a decade, resulting in highly mature roll-to-roll continuous production lines with exceptional yields and efficiency. Solid-state manufacturing, by contrast, is still in its infancy, facing several key bottlenecks.
First is the production of solid electrolyte films. Sulfide electrolytes are extremely sensitive to air and moisture, requiring processing in high-purity inert gas environments — a requirement that drives up both equipment investment and operating costs.
Image source: Gotion Inc.
Then there's the solid-solid interface issue. Liquid electrolytes naturally permeate electrode particles to create efficient ion pathways. Solid electrolytes, however, make rigid contact with electrodes, resulting in high resistance. Improving that contact requires high-pressure compression and other complex steps, adding to both process complexity and energy consumption.
Furthermore, solid-state batteries currently have shorter cycle lives than their liquid counterparts, meaning they haven't yet demonstrated an advantage in total lifecycle cost.
Equipment investment is another major factor. Solid-state batteries can't simply repurpose existing liquid battery production lines; they require entirely new setups.
With technical routes — sulfides, oxides, and polymers — yet to fully converge, equipment suppliers struggle to mass-produce standardized machinery, keeping the cost per production line high.
The "mass manufacturing technology" emphasized by Yang Rukun aims to find cost-reduction breakthroughs at the engineering level, beyond just the materials themselves.
The "One-Yuan Era": Roadmap and Timeline for Cost Reduction
Faced with these high costs, the industry is hardly standing still.
On the contrary, the supply chain is already mobilizing. A clear roadmap for cutting costs — from material innovation to manufacturing optimization — is taking shape.
On the materials front, start with lithium sulfide to clear the "first mile" of cost reduction.
Gotion Inc. has stated that when lithium sulfide falls to 500,000 yuan per ton and solid electrolytes to 300,000 yuan per ton, solid-state batteries will enter their "one-yuan era" — meaning cell costs drop to 1 yuan per Wh.
The company's timeline: launch a 1,000-ton lithium sulfide line in 2026 and build 50,000 tons of annual capacity by 2030. That exponential expansion in capacity should force lithium sulfide prices down.
At the same time, leaders like CATL and BYD are accelerating in-house development and production of solid electrolytes, aiming to cut material costs through vertical integration.
In manufacturing, the shift is moving from lab processes to large-scale continuous production.
Yang Rukun argues that real cost reductions won't come from cheaper materials alone; they require a revolution in manufacturing. Current production is mostly intermittent and small-scale, suffering from low efficiency and inconsistent quality. The industry needs to develop continuous production processes for solid-state batteries — adapting roll-to-roll technology from lithium-ion production, for instance, or developing dry electrode processes to cut solvent use and drying steps. That would lower energy consumption while boosting efficiency. Additionally, domestic production and standardization of equipment will significantly reduce the cost per line.
Equipment makers like Liyuanheng are already developing machinery specifically for solid-state batteries. As technology matures and orders increase, equipment costs are expected to fall sharply.
In application, start with niche markets before going mass-market, using high-end scenarios to build scale.
As noted earlier, solid-state batteries will debut in sectors like low-altitude aviation and humanoid robotics. While volumes are small, the premium pricing is sufficient to provide early, large-scale orders.
As shipping volumes grow, material and manufacturing costs will decline, allowing gradual penetration into high-end and then mainstream passenger vehicles.
This "tiered commercialization" strategy essentially buys time for cost reductions by leveraging high-value applications.
Currently, three technical routes — sulfides, oxides, and polymers — are developing in parallel. The sulfide route boasts the highest ionic conductivity and best compatibility with existing lithium-ion processes, making it the most likely candidate for mass production. However, it is sensitive to air and requires stringent manufacturing conditions.
Oxides offer safety but suffer from lower conductivity and processing difficulties. Polymers are flexible but have poor room-temperature conductivity. As industrialization progresses, the industry is gradually converging on the sulfide route.
CATL's construction of the world's first sulfide-based all-solid-state pilot line in 2026, and Gotion Inc.'s use of sulfide technology in its "Jinshi" battery, send a clear signal. Converging on a technical route will focus R&D resources and investment, avoiding fragmentation and accelerating cost reductions.
Image source: Gasgoo Auto
When lithium-ion batteries were first commercialized in the early 1990s, cell prices were tens of yuan per Wh — nearly 100 times today's levels. But as material and cell costs fell, they hit about 1 yuan per Wh by 2020, marking the start of the "one-yuan era." Since then, capacity has surged, and applications have expanded from consumer electronics to electric vehicles and smart systems.
"Solid-state batteries will follow a similar path, but it won't take 30 years," predicts Pan Ruijun.
All told, bringing all-solid-state batteries from their current cost of roughly 2 yuan per Wh down to the 1 yuan per Wh "one-yuan era" will likely require a window between 2028 and 2030.
From 2026 to 2027, all-solid-state batteries will be in a "small-scale demonstration" phase, targeting low-altitude aviation, humanoid robots, and high-end custom vehicles. Between 2028 and 2029, as lithium sulfide capacity comes online and manufacturing matures, costs could fall to 1.2 to 1.5 yuan per Wh, allowing penetration into mid-to-high-end passenger cars. Around 2030, if lithium sulfide and solid electrolyte prices hit their targets of 500,000 yuan and 300,000 yuan per ton respectively, the "one-yuan era" will finally arrive.
In Conclusion
For consumers, "wait and see" remains the most rational choice. The promise of solid-state batteries is undeniable, but the path from "lab star" to "mass-market staple" is fraught with challenges in materials, processes, equipment, and application scenarios.
The industry is pulling out all the stops to bridge this cost chasm.
As Yang Rukun put it, mass manufacturing technology will ultimately determine whether solid-state batteries can move from premium niches to the mainstream. Only then will the technology shift from a "wait and see" option to a "must-have" for consumers.
