Long-range electric vehicles are almost here—but how soon can you drive one?
The race for a better battery
Above The Changan VIIA concept car features scissor doors and a convertible roof (Photo: Changan)
A solid-state battery gets its name from the material that replaces the liquid electrolyte in a typical lithium ion battery. The solid electrolyte is made of either glass, ceramic or metallic material. The removal of the liquid electrolyte allows the battery to be more densely packed. Solid-state batteries can theoretically have an energy density of 400 to 600 Wh/kg.
Chinese automobile and EV maker Changan has announced that it will roll out prototype vehicles with solid-state batteries at the end of 2025 to early 2026. Mass production of the solid-state battery will begin by 2027. Changan has said that a solid-state battery with a 400 Wh/kg energy density will enable an EV with up to 1,500 km range on a single full charge. Previously, CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer, announced that it will make solid-state batteries in small batches by 2027. BYD revealed a similar timeline for its solid-state battery rollout. The future of solid-state battery technology
Above The Golden Shield battery developed by Changan (Photo: Changan)
To prepare for the development of solid-state batteries, the Chinese government has instituted the China All-Solid-State Battery Collaborative Innovation Platform (CASIP) in 2024. Members include automotive and battery manufacturing companies such as BYD, NIO, EVE Energy, CALB, Gotion and SVOLT. The consortium's goal is to make solid-state battery production competitive while establishing a supply chain by 2030.
While the development of solid-state batteries are moving at a rapid clip by industry standards, other car makers have set their timelines that are further along. There are still a lot of technical hurdles to overcome. Toyota has promised to introduce solid-state battery EVs by 2027, with a 2030 target date for mass production. Honda began a test production of solid-state batteries in January this year. Nissan has promised a timeline of early 2029 for its solid-state battery-powered EVs. Hyundai and Kia have pushed back on the launch of solid-state EV batteries by 2030.
Above The NIO ET7 electric sedan has a range of 1,050 km thanks to its semi-solid-state battery pack (Photo: NIO)
For the short term, Chinese EV makers such as NIO have released a semi-solid-state battery that can be swapped in their EVs. The battery has a 150 kWh capacity, making it the largest capacity battery pack made in China with the highest energy density of 360 Wh/kg. The battery was tested on a NIO ET7 EV sedan, which travelled over 1,044 km on a single charge.
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Tatler Asia
3 days ago
- Tatler Asia
Meet 17 Next-gen Asian chefs and culinary heirs reinventing legacy restaurants
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Despite having no formal training, her iconic combination of ladybird goggles, roaring flame and hand-ground spice—has made her stall a cultural landmark and worldwide diner destination. 6. Ng Wai Kwok (Hong Kong) The third-generation leader of Maxim's Caterers, Ng Wai Kwok joined the business in 1992, at age 21, and has since led its transformation. He launched modern sub-brands, secured deals with Hong Kong Disneyland and scaled the group to over a thousand outlets. His influence extends across Asia's culinary landscape, evolving heritage catering with contemporary F&B trends. 7. Yoshikazu and Takashi Ono (Japan) Yoshikazu and Takashi Ono are the sons of Jiro Ono of Tokyo icon Sukiyabashi Jiro. Yoshikazu apprenticed under Jiro and, as the eldest, is the designated heir to the original Ginza location, ensuring the restaurant stays locked to Jiro's exacting Edomae standards. 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BY Libyan Express Jun 26, 2025 - 07:05 Trump signals potential easing in Iran oil sanctions enforcement President Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that the United States continues to uphold its maximum pressure campaign on Iran, including restrictions on Iranian oil exports. However, he indicated that enforcement of these measures might be eased to assist Iran's reconstruction efforts. Speaking at a NATO Summit press conference, Trump noted that Iran would require financial resources to rebuild the country and expressed support for such efforts. When asked about relaxing oil sanctions, he said, 'They're going to need money to put that country back into shape. We want to see that happen.' The day before, Trump mentioned that China could continue purchasing Iranian oil following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran. The White House later clarified that this statement did not represent a formal easing of US sanctions. The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on several Chinese independent refineries and port operators for their involvement in Iranian oil purchases as part of its ongoing pressure campaign against Tehran. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express. How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@ Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
NZ PM Luxon secures Xi Jinping meeting in China
As he faces criticism at home for weakening ties with Beijing, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon has booked a meeting with China President Xi Jinping next week. The conservative leader has announced the longest international trip of his tenure, spending four days in China and five in Europe in a stretch also taking in the NATO Summit in the Netherlands. Since taking office in late 2023, Mr Luxon has also continued a shift in New Zealand's foreign outlook - begun by Jacinda Ardern's Labour government in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine - to more closely align with Australia and the United States. This has not been uncontroversial. Last week, former prime ministers Helen Clark and Geoffrey Palmer headed an open letter arguing New Zealand was" risking its sovereignty" by strategic alignment and integration with Australia, and it should not antagonise Beijing, for fear of losing a critical trade relationship. "Prominent #NewZealand leaders are coming together to express their concern about the country's foreign policy direction." In this interview with @NewstalkZB, I set out why an open letter on the state of #NZ foreign policy has been issued: — Helen Clark (@HelenClarkNZ) June 7, 2025 "We do believe that a military relationship with the United States directed against China has many risks for New Zealand," the letter stated. "That is especially true in a situation where the United States itself has recently become more ambivalent about its defence relationships with traditional partners. "Your forthcoming visit to Beijing is a vital opportunity to make it clear at the highest level that New Zealand retains its bipartisan commitment to its strategic partnership with China in the interests of a peaceful and prosperous region and world." Foreign Minister Winston Peters has dismissed their arguments, saying the letter was written by "various former politicians/officials who appear to be suffering from relevance deprivation syndrome". In a statement announcing his travel, Mr Luxon said time spent in Shanghai and Beijing would be focused on bilateral trade, measured at $A35 billion last year, calling China "a vital part of our economic story". "New Zealand is a trusted supplier of safe, high-quality food and beverage products to Chinese consumers. It is an important market, and I look forward to doing what I can to support Kiwi businesses to thrive," Mr Luxon said. A key promise of the National-led coalition has been to double the value of Kiwi exports in the next decade. Coaxing Chinese students back to New Zealand's education system is also likely to be feature in government-to-government discussions, with enrolments running at just over half their pre-pandemic peak. Accompanying Mr Luxon will be a delegation of business leaders, and a group of Maori performers. National kapa haka champions Te Kapa Haka o Ngati Whakaue will travel on the NZDF plane to China, despite the government's troubled relationship with Maoridom. On the second leg of his trip, Mr Luxon will broaden his focus to include security, meeting with EU leaders in Brussels, and then NATO nations in The Hague. "Prosperity is only possible with security, and our discussions will focus on connections between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security environments," he said. Like Australia, New Zealand is invited to annual NATO gatherings as part of the "Indo-Pacific Four" grouping, which also includes Japan and South Korea.
