Volkswagen supplier begins testing solid-state batteries in EVs

Volkswagen’s partner, Gotion High Tech, has begun testing all-solid-state EV batteries with a CLTC range of 1,000 km (620 miles) in vehicles.

Gotion is scaling all-solid-state EV battery production

In 2020, Volkswagen invested roughly €1 billion ($1.2 billion) in Gotion to acquire a 26% stake, making it the Chinese battery giant’s largest shareholder.

Gotion will supply lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and other battery chemistries, such as solid-state, for Volkswagen Group EVs, including under the Audi brand.

After it completed a 0.2 GWh pilot production line with a 90% yield rate last May, Gotion achieved its latest milestone as it scales its GEMSTONE all-solid-state EV batteries.

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According to China’s IT Home, Gotion has “basically completed” the design work for its 2 GWh all-solid-state battery production line. The company announced the achievement on its interactive platform as it moves from the pilot phase to mass production.

The production line is developed entirely in-house with all equipment sourced domestically. Gotion holds over 30 patents for the setup.

During an event last summer, Gotion said the 2025 iteration achieved a 60% improvement in sulfide electrolyte ion conductivity, a 150% increase in cell capacity, and a 90% reduction in pre-tension stacking pressure.

The GEMSTONE all-solid-state battery showed a cell energy density of 350 Wh/kg and a single-cell capacity of 70 Ah. According to the report, Gotion has begun testing the batteries in vehicles.

Gotion previously said the battery could achieve a CLTC range of 1,000 km (620 miles) on a single charge. Perhaps more importantly, it maintained performance in extreme-weather testing, with temperatures ranging from -40°C (-40°F) to 80°C (176°F).

The company is also advancing its G-Yuan quasi-solid-state battery, which Gotion previously said delivers 300 Wh/kg energy density, enabling an EV range of over 1,000 km (620 miles).

Electrek’s Take

New EV battery tech is quickly advancing. China is already dominating global sales, but leading battery manufacturers and automakers, including Gotion, BYD, and CATL, are developing and testing new chemistries, like solid-state and sodium-ion.

While solid-state batteries are often called the “holy grail” of battery tech, they are only one part of the bigger puzzle.

Other types of batteries, such as sodium-ion and LFP, promise to cut costs, improve efficiency and safety, and reduce reliance on raw materials.

Gotion’s latest milestone is the latest in a series of recent breakthroughs with solid-state batteries. Several Chinese automakers have begun or plan to begin testing solid-state batteries in vehicles in small batches by the end of 2026, with mass production scheduled for around 2030.