MG to integrate solid-state batteries in its range by 2025

MG is beating rivals to the punch in the race for solid-state batteries in electric cars. The company has announced that it will start equipping its electric vehicles with solid-state batteries within twelve months.

Speaking at the Chengdu Motor Show in China, Yu Jingmin, executive vice president of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), MG’s parent company, revealed that his company’s newly developed solid-state battery technology will debut in an MG model by the second quarter of 2025, with sales expected to begin later that year.

This bold move puts MG ahead of mainstream competitors, notably Toyota and Volkswagen, which are sticking to a 2027 and 2028 deadline to launch commercially available solid-state technology. The race to adopt this cutting-edge technology is fierce, as these batteries are hailed as a significant breakthrough in EV technology.

High-end vehicles first

Earlier this year, the CEO of Israeli battery start-up Storedot said that mass production of solid-state is still ten years ahead. This much less optimistic timeframe could still hold some truth, as carmakers stick to a road map where the technology will be introduced at low availability in expensive models due to the scaling complexity of production. Think Lexus for Toyota and Porsche for Volkswagen.

While details on MG’s specific solid-state battery model remain unknown, speculation also points toward a high-end vehicle—possibly the Cyber GTS, unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year.

The solid-state route offers significantly higher energy density, potentially doubling the driving range compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Moreover, these packs are inherently safer due to the absence of flammable liquid electrolytes, and they enable faster charging times—critical factors that enhance the overall EV ownership experience.

Cost savings of up to 30%?

Jingmin’s announcement isn’t a complete surprise, as MG’s sibling brand IM Motor already offers a semi-solid-state option in its L6 saloon. IM Motor’s ‘Lightyear’ battery boasts an energy density of 368 watts per kilogram and a capacity of 133kWh, providing the L6 with an impressive range of almost 1,100 kilometers on China’s Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC).

The Lightyear battery can also deliver up to 400 kilometers of range in just 12 minutes on a high-powered DC charger. However, these battery types are far easier to commercialize than full solid state. MG plans to develop the battery in-house.

Jingmin pointed out that, despite the mentioned production hurdles, SAIC envisions ramping up the production of this advanced technology across its brands at an unbraked pace.

With potential cost savings of up to 30% over lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, which already significantly break down the costs compared to lithium-ion, SAIC aims to achieve economies of scale that could drive down the price by crucial margins and make solid-state batteries more accessible to a broader audience.

That would be a game-changer and could prove a weapon in the import duties war. SAIC brands Feifan and Roewe have also indicated plans to adopt solid-state batteries in future models, demonstrating the group’s comprehensive approach.