650 miles from one charge – Volvo's parent company beats Tesla to the punch with first production-ready solid-state battery

• Geely will start production of solid-state battery tech this year
• Its energy density is tipped to be 400 Wh/kg
• Safer and more reliable batteries have also been promised

Volvo’s parent company Geely Auto, which also owns Zeekr, Lotus and Lynk & Co, has announced that it is moving its solid-state battery technology from the lab to the road as it begins production and testing.

Announcing the news during the Geely Holding Group's five-year strategy communication event, the company said it will complete production of its debut, in-house developed all-solid-state battery (SSB) pack this year and move it out of the lab and into prototype vehicles for testing.

There is no word on which brand will be the first to receive the technology, but Geely’s solid-state battery is claimed to offer an energy density of 400 Wh/kg. This is significantly more than the 200-300 Wh/kg that today’s lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes offer.

As a result, the automaker can potentially fit electric vehicles with lighter and smaller battery packs, which would greatly improve the ride and handling. Alternatively, larger solid-state batteries could be employed to offer a monster range well in excess of 650 miles between charge stops.

Safer and more convenient

Volvo recently took the wraps off its latest EX60 model that the company hopes will establish the marque as a true EV leader. The vehicle already delivers a range of around 500 miles, but with SSB technology, this could easily tickle the 650-700 mile mark.

What’s more, Volvo is a brand that’s synonymous with safety and Geely Auto’s SSB battery packs promise faster charging without compromising safety thanks to a lower thermal runaway risk, as well as improved performance in the event of an accident.

That said, Geely isn’t the only automaker that’s chasing the technology, with myriad Chinese rivals on the cusp of unleashing production vehicles onto the market, as well as BMW, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and the Stellantis Group pushing the technology forward among the legacy automakers.

The next two years are going to be huge for electric vehicles, with max range and charging speeds set to make a quantum leap over the coming 24 months.

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