[Global Times Tech Report, Reporter Zheng Xiangqi] Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, driven by the rapid development of the new-energy vehicle industry, China’s power battery industry has achieved positive results in various aspects—including market size, technological innovation, and supporting systems—becoming a key force in promoting the green, low-carbon transformation and sustainable development of the automotive industry.

Data released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show that power battery production has surged from 83.4 GWh in 2020 to over 1,000 GWh in 2024—a more than tenfold increase over four years. To boost the industry’s quality enhancement and upgrading, the 2025 New Energy Battery Industry Development Conference recently brought together key industry players for an in-depth dialogue on the future of the sector.

Technological Breakthrough: From Laboratory Breakthroughs to Large-Scale Applications

“Today, we’re officially launching our next-generation all-solid-state battery product—the very first all-solid-state energy storage device from us that achieves an energy density of 400 Wh/kg,” said Xu Zhongling, Director of the Central Research Institute at Xinwangda Power Technology Co., Ltd., as he unveiled the Xin·Bixiao polymer-based all-solid-state battery at the conference. He revealed that, in addition to its impressive energy density, the Xin·Bixiao battery has also demonstrated a cycle life of 1,200 cycles for a 20 Ah cell under an ultra-low pressure of less than 1 MPa, and has successfully passed rigorous safety tests—including the 200℃ thermal chamber test. Notably, Xu Zhongling also “spoiled” some exciting laboratory results: a lithium-metal super-battery prototype with an energy density of 520 Wh/kg, whose pouch-cell design has already surpassed 500 cycles in durability testing.

Behind these groundbreaking figures lie systematic innovations in materials, design, and manufacturing processes. According to Xu Zhongling, Xinwangda firmly believes that solid-state batteries represent the ultimate solution for breaking through the limitations of lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy density and safety. Based on its own practical circumstances and local conditions, Xinwangda has formulated a phased development strategy. Since proactively laying out solid-state battery technology starting in 2015, Xinwangda has now established a clear iterative roadmap: The company’s first-generation semi-solid-state battery has already been developed and boasts an energy density exceeding 300 Wh/kg; cell samples of the second-generation semi-solid-state battery have begun pilot-scale testing; and the third-generation all-solid-state battery has completed product design and process validation at a level of 400 Wh/kg.

In fact, solid-state batteries are currently regarded by the industry as the next-generation lithium battery technology and have also been identified in recent policy documents as one of the key priorities for the development of energy equipment. Recently, the “Energy-Saving and New-Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 3.0,” revised and compiled under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and organized by the China Automotive Engineering Society, was released. The roadmap predicts that all-solid-state batteries will achieve small-scale applications by 2030 and could be widely adopted globally by 2035. By then, the batteries’ overall performance, cost, and environmental adaptability will better align with consumer needs.

As battery technology advances at an unprecedented pace, vehicle manufacturers are also accelerating the implementation of ultra-fast charging infrastructure. A set of data presented by Sun Jia, Deputy General Manager of Beijing New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd., underscores the accelerating pace of industry transformation: “Currently, the penetration rate of 800V architectures is growing very rapidly—reaching 9.5% in the first half of this year. Although this figure may not seem high at first glance, the denominator includes all 5.06 million new-energy vehicles.”

Data released by the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance show that, as of the end of September 2025, the total number of electric vehicle charging facilities (charging guns) in China reached 18.063 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 54.5%. However, Sun Jia also noted that user surveys reveal that efficient and convenient energy replenishment remains a core need for many users. Based on a deep understanding of user needs, BAIC New Energy has taken the lead in the industry by mass-producing 800V high-voltage ultra-fast charging vehicles.

Sun Jia also highlighted BAIC New Energy’s breakthrough in the field of low-temperature charging. According to experts, the temperature of the battery cell is a key factor affecting charging speed. The optimal battery-cell temperature ranges from 0 to 40 degrees Celsius; within this temperature range, the battery cells exhibit the highest activity and thus the greatest charging efficiency. Once the temperature rises too high or falls too low, charging efficiency can be compromised—and in extreme cases, charging may even come to an abrupt halt. To overcome this industry bottleneck, BAIC New Energy has teamed up with Tsinghua University and Shell to jointly develop all-climate ultra-fast charging stations that employ cutting-edge battery-heating technology, enabling a normal-temperature charging experience even during the frigid winter months.

Ecological Synergy: From Single-Point Breakthroughs to Systemic Integration

As battery energy density continues to rise and ultra-fast charging technology accelerates its adoption, charging operators are also leveraging their network and data advantages to deeply empower industry development. In this regard, Zhao Jian, Vice President of Teld New Energy Co., Ltd., stated, “We should view today’s industry with a future-oriented perspective. The future charging sector will usher in three entirely new eras: the era of autonomous driving, the era of ultra-fast charging, and the era of virtual power plants.”

In the ultra-fast charging sector, Zhao Jian emphasized that a simple ultra-fast charging model can lead to resource waste. “For example, if a user is busy and the car is fully charged in just five minutes, the user might not be able to leave the building to move the vehicle. Such behavior not only strains the grid’s load resources but also results in low capital turnover, low investment returns, and low customer adoption rates.” To address this issue, Teld has launched the “Intelligent Shared Ultra-Fast Charging” solution. By leveraging liquid-cooled ultra-fast chargers and intelligent scheduling technology, this solution achieves smart power allocation, thereby significantly improving equipment utilization and investment returns.

Speaking about the company’s strategic layout for the era of virtual power plants, Zhao Jian explained that Teld is promoting the integration of “charging networks, microgrids, and energy storage networks,” transforming each isolated charging station into a smart energy node that is both perceptible, analyzable, and dispatchable. As an example, he cited the Qingdao Industrial Park: “Our rooftops, walls, windows, and canopies are all equipped with power-generation capabilities, generating 30,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity every day. The factory consumes 17,000 kilowatt-hours daily, and the surplus electricity is then charged into employees’ vehicles at a rate of 30 cents per kilowatt-hour. If it rains tomorrow, we can even feed some of this stored electricity back into the grid, rewarding employees with an additional 30 cents per kilowatt-hour.” This model not only reduces electricity costs but also leverages green energy to help achieve the “dual carbon” goals.

Notably, in response to the industry’s urgent demand for collaborative innovation, the three companies have unanimously placed the development of an open and collaborative industrial ecosystem at the heart of their strategic priorities. Xinwangda is actively driving a strategic transformation—from “focusing on product development” to “building an ecosystem.” Wang Huawen, Vice President of Xinwangda Power Technology Co., Ltd., noted that Xinwangda’s “Three Alls” strategy—deep involvement across the entire industrial chain, comprehensive regional strategic deployment, and full-lifecycle quality management—is enabling the company to build closed-loop capabilities, ranging from upstream materials and system-level integrated solutions all the way to tiered recycling and reuse.

Sun Jia stated that BAIC New Energy is building an energy network that offers full coverage, supports all scenarios, and operates around the clock. “With an open mindset, we’ve established interconnected partnerships with over a hundred collaborators, covering nearly all operators and third-party aggregation platforms.” This ecosystem approach of open collaboration enables BAIC New Energy to bring service touchpoints directly to users and leverage operational data to feed back into the system, thereby driving continuous technological innovation.

For Teld, from its very inception, the company has embraced the technological philosophy of “not just building charging piles, but creating a charging network.” A charging pile is merely a simple charging device, whereas a charging network is an intelligently integrated charging system that enables centralized management and control, as well as orderly charging. Leveraging big data, it ensures the safety of vehicle owners’ charging experiences and harnesses the synergistic advantages of electric vehicles—such as orderly charging and mobile energy storage. Zhao Jian told reporters that ecological collaboration aims to break down industry barriers and enhance overall efficiency and user experience through cooperation. By collaborating with companies across the industry ecosystem, unifying standards, and promoting open sharing, as well as partnering with upstream and downstream enterprises—including automakers and power grid operators—this approach can effectively facilitate the implementation of the new model.

From single products to systemic ecosystems, and from technological breakthroughs to collaborative innovation, China’s new-energy industry is undergoing a profound paradigm shift. As highlighted at this conference, in the new ecosystem jointly built by battery companies, vehicle manufacturers, charging operators, and other stakeholders, technological innovation is no longer an isolated breakthrough—it has become a force that multiplies value through systematic collaboration. At this critical juncture of energy transformation, deepened collaboration among all players is not only profoundly reshaping the industrial landscape but also forging a global competitive moat for China’s new-energy industry, positioning it for future success. (Xiao Xiao)

Source: Huanqiu.com Technology