In laboratory tests, Chinese solid-state battery developer Welion New Energy has achieved an energy density of 824 Wh/kg, with the company aiming to exceed 1,000 Wh/kg over the long term. Chairman Yu Huigen shared the results during a recent broadcast on China Central Television’s Dialogue programme, highlighting the milestone as a leading performance in solid-state battery research.
Yu emphasized that while the laboratory achievement demonstrates significant progress, high material costs—particularly for sulfide-based electrolytes—remain the chief barrier to large-scale commercialization. He noted that initial applications will focus on markets where safety and performance outweigh cost sensitivity, citing humanoid robots as a promising early use case.
Established in 2016 from an industry–academia collaboration at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Physics, Welion New Energy brings together a team of battery experts, including Professor Chen Liquan, recognized as a pioneering figure in Chinese lithium-ion battery research. The company’s connections extend to leading battery innovators — Chen served as the doctoral advisor to CATL founder Robin Zeng.
Welion has already demonstrated its technology in the field. In 2023, it supplied a major electric vehicle maker with 150 kWh semi-solid-state battery packs, enabling a single-charge driving range of 1,044 kilometers. To support further development, Welion operates production facilities in Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong, totaling 28.2 GWh of annual capacity today, with plans to exceed 100 GWh in the coming years. Its Shenzhen site serves as a testbed for solid-state battery manufacturing, aiming for full-scale production around 2027.
The company is also pursuing an initial public offering on China’s Growth Enterprise Market under the guidance of CITIC Securities. If completed, this listing would mark the first public debut of a pure-play solid-state battery developer in China. Welion has received funding from prominent investors, including Sequoia Capital, Hillhouse Capital, as well as strategic investment from technology and automotive firms such as Huawei, Geely, Xiaomi and Nio.
Source: CarNewsChina
