Solid Power, the U.S.-based battery developer, has made a new step to accelerate the commercialization of its all-solid-state battery technology, joining forces with Samsung SDI and BMW Group in a move that could signal a new phase in the industry’s long quest to move beyond conventional lithium-ion cells.
The partnership, announced in late October, brings together three key pillars of the emerging solid-state ecosystem: Solid Power’s sulfide-based solid electrolyte technology, Samsung SDI’s large-scale cell manufacturing expertise, and BMW’s automotive testing and integration capabilities.
Industrial-scale production
Together, the companies aim to close the gap between laboratory breakthroughs and industrial-scale production, a leap that has stymied much of the field to date.
Solid Power has spent years developing a high-conductivity sulfide electrolyte that replaces the flammable liquid in today’s lithium-ion batteries.
The result, it says, is a cell with higher energy density, improved safety, and the potential for lower manufacturing costs by using existing lithium-ion production lines.
Prototype cells for BMW i7 test car
The company operates a pilot roll-to-roll facility in Colorado and is already supplying prototype cells to partners for testing. BMW has confirmed that it is evaluating Solid Power’s technology in a modified i7 test vehicle.
This test vehicle, unveiled in 2025, uses Solid Power’s sulfide-based electrolyte cells, which promise higher energy density, improved safety, and faster charging than today’s lithium-ion batteries.
Not before the end of the decade
While the collaboration with Solid Power — and now with Samsung SDI — signals growing momentum, BMW has made clear that mass production is still several years away. Being still too expensive is one of the main reasons.
The company does not expect to launch a production car with solid-state batteries before the end of the decade, with small-scale deployment likely around 2029 and broader commercialization targeted for 2030.
The addition of Samsung SDI to the alliance could be decisive. As one of the world’s largest battery manufacturers, Samsung brings deep process know-how and gigawatt-scale manufacturing infrastructure.
These are resources that could help transform Solid Power’s prototypes into a viable commercial product. The trio’s collaboration suggests the technology is advancing from proof-of-concept toward genuine automotive qualification.
Competition intensifies
Solid Power’s progress comes as competition in solid-state batteries intensifies. California-based QuantumScape continues to pursue an anode-free ceramic design with ambitious energy-density targets above 1,000 Wh/L.
Meanwhile, Toyota and Volkswagen have both pledged solid-state-equipped vehicles before the decade’s end. Samsung SDI itself has publicly targeted around 900 Wh/L for its own solid-state cells by 2027.
Unlike some rivals, Solid Power’s strategy focuses on evolutionary manufacturing, which involves adapting existing lithium-ion equipment rather than reinventing the production process.
Analysts say that could give it a cost and speed advantage if its sulfide electrolyte can be produced consistently at scale. The company also received up to $50 million in U.S. Department of Energy funding to expand electrolyte production.
Challenges remain
Still, significant challenges remain. Producing large, defect-free solid electrolytes, preventing dendrite formation, and maintaining performance over thousands of charge cycles all remain technical hurdles.
And even with major partners on board, industry insiders caution that actual mass production is likely several years away, as most forecasts place the first commercial solid-state EVs around 2027-2030.
Yet the alliance with Samsung SDI and BMW underscores a growing sense that solid-state technology is edging closer to reality.
For Solid Power, the partnership is not just a validation of its chemistry but a potential bridge to industrial relevance. And that’s a crucial step in transforming the promise of solid-state batteries into the power source for the next generation of electric vehicles.
Investing in Solid Power
Before bringing Samsung SDI into the mix, BMW had already been one of Solid Power’s earliest and most committed partners in solid-state battery development. The automaker first invested in the Colorado-based startup through BMW i Ventures in 2017 and deepened the relationship in 2021 with a joint development agreement to test Solid Power’s sulfide-based electrolyte cells.
In 2022, BMW signed an R&D license allowing it to produce prototype cells in-house using Solid Power’s technology. This rare move gave its engineers hands-on experience with solid-state chemistry and manufacturing.
By 2024, that collaboration culminated in the integration of Solid Power’s large-format cells into a BMW i7 test vehicle, now running on public roads. The new 2025 alliance with Samsung SDI builds on this groundwork by adding a major manufacturing partner to help scale the technology toward commercial production later in the decade.
