CATL Chairman Flags Long Road to Solid-State Battery Mass Production

Robin Zeng, chairman of battery giant CATL, has cautioned that solid-state battery technology remains far from large-scale commercialization, citing significant technical and economic hurdles. Speaking at the 2026 Summer Davos forum, Zeng estimated that current progress sits at a level four on a nine-point scale, with mass production unlikely to reach millions of vehicles before 2030. This assessment highlights the ongoing challenges in transitioning from laboratory breakthroughs to the cost-effective, high-volume manufacturing required for the global energy storage and electric vehicle markets.

Robin Zeng, chairman of Chinese battery leader CATL, stated at the 2026 Summer Davos forum that solid-state batteries must overcome three primary obstacles—technology, product reliability, and commercial viability—before achieving mass production. Zeng utilized a nine-level scale to measure industry progress, placing current development at level four and noting that level nine represents the threshold for full-scale manufacturing. He emphasized that the "product path" requires ensuring sufficient supply and meeting rigorous safety standards, while the "commercial path" depends on market acceptance and the ability to sell products in large volumes.

Despite the long-term outlook, CATL is aggressively pursuing the technology, having expanded its dedicated research and development team to more than 1,000 personnel by the end of 2024. Chief scientist Wu Kai previously outlined a roadmap aiming to reach levels seven or eight by 2027, which would enable small-batch production of all-solid-state batteries. However, Zeng reiterated that reaching the "millions" scale for vehicles remains unlikely before 2030 due to the dual difficulties of optimizing performance while reducing costs enough to make the batteries affordable for the mass market.

The competitive landscape for next-generation energy storage is intensifying as other major Chinese players, including BYD and Gotion High-tech, also accelerate their solid-state programs. Automaker Nio is similarly advancing its own research, exploring various technological avenues such as oxide and sulfide-based electrolytes. While several manufacturers are targeting 2027 for initial small-batch production, the consensus from industry leaders suggests that the broader transition to solid-state chemistry will be a gradual process defined by incremental improvements in manufacturing scalability and cost reduction.