Dongfeng Motor plans to unveil its in-house solid-liquid hybrid battery in October and begin installing the cell in mass-produced vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to an executive. Dongfeng deputy general manager You Zheng disclosed the schedule at an industry forum on Wednesday, September 9, local media outlet Cailian reported. The short report did not provide additional details.
The timing is broadly consistent with Dongfeng’s earlier guidance. In November of last year, the company said it expected to start installing the 350 Wh/kg battery in mass-produced vehicles in September 2026. Dongfeng has also adjusted the product name: it previously referred to the battery as a solid-state battery, but now describes it as a solid-liquid hybrid battery. The terminology reflects China’s use of the term solid-liquid hybrid battery for semi-solid-state batteries, helping distinguish them from all-solid-state batteries.
Dongfeng has said the battery’s energy density is about twice that of mainstream lithium iron phosphate cells, which typically range from 140 Wh/kg to 210 Wh/kg. The company has said the battery can enable a driving range of more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge. In testing, the battery passed a 170°C thermal chamber test, exceeding the 130°C requirement under China’s national standard, and retained more than 72% of its energy at -30°C.
The company completed winter vehicle testing of the battery in January, with test vehicles traveling from Wuhan to Mohe in Heilongjiang province and undergoing more than 70 tests at temperatures between -40°C and -30°C. Dongfeng’s 0.2 GWh pilot production line was completed and began operating in June 2025, forming an integrated research and production base that includes laboratories, prototype production, and pilot manufacturing.
Dongfeng said its near-term focus is demonstration operations. It plans to deploy 100 demonstration vehicles equipped with the battery by the end of this year and deliver 50,000 vehicles with in-house solid-state batteries in 2027. For all-solid-state batteries, the company is targeting small-scale mass production around 2030 and large-scale mass production and broader adoption around 2035. Dongfeng is also developing a 350 Wh/kg all-solid-state battery with fast-charging capability and conducting preliminary research on sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries with an energy density of 500 Wh/kg. Other automakers, including China FAW Group’s Hongqi brand and Chery, are pursuing similar technologies, while battery makers CATL and BYD are targeting small-batch vehicle deployment in 2027.
Source: CnEVPost
