HASCO moves into solid-state battery field with SAIC QingTao stake purchase

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On August 27, HUAYU Automotive Systems Co., Ltd. ("HASCO") announced plans to acquire a 49% stake in Shanghai SAIC QingTao Energy Technology Co., Ltd. ("SAIC QingTao") from its parent company SAIC Motor for 206 million yuan. Following the transaction, HASCO will hold 49% of the battery joint venture.

Founded in November 2023, SAIC QingTao is a joint venture between SAIC Motor and QingTao Energy. SAIC Motor owns 49% while QingTao Energy holds a controlling 51% stake. The company focuses on developing semi-solid-state and all-solid-state batteries.

Photo credit: HASCO

SAIC QingTao has already established production facilities in Wuhai, Chengdu, Yichun, Kunshan, and Tāizhōu, creating a supply chain that spans from materials research to cell and module manufacturing. Its semi-solid-state batteries are already being deployed in mass-produced vehicles under SAIC Motor, including the newly launched MG4. The stake purchase signals HASCO's formal entry into the solid-state battery sector.

Solid-state batteries are widely regarded as the next generation of energy storage technology. By replacing liquid electrolytes with solid ones, they offer significant improvements in safety, energy density, cycle life, and charging speed, making them a focal point of industry development.

Across China, nearly all major battery producers are racing to secure a foothold in solid-state technology. Gotion High-tech, for instance, revealed in June that its all-solid-state "Jinshi" battery pack system had entered vehicle road testing after initial development.

Farasis Energy has advanced from laboratory research to pilot-scale production. By the end of this year, it plans to complete a 0.2 GWh pilot line for sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries and begin supplying 60Ah prototype cells to strategic partners.

SVOLT is also accelerating development, aiming to start trial production of its first-generation 140Ah semi-solid-state cells in the fourth quarter of 2025 on a 2.3 GWh mass production line.

On the automaker side, companies including BYD, Changan Automobile, SAIC Motor, GAC Group, Chery, and Dongfeng Motor have all unveiled roadmaps for solid-state battery deployment. Most are targeting 2026–2027 as the pivotal window for mass production and vehicle integration.