- Volvo’s parent company, Geely, will begin piloting a new solid-state battery.
- Geely says that it will test the battery “across portfolio brands” starting next year.
- The ultra-dense battery is slated to deliver over 600 miles on a single charge.
Solid-state batteries have been that major breakthrough in EV battery tech automakers have teased as “just a few years away” for…well more than “just a few years.” For a few brands, the wait may soon finally pay off.
Geely is getting ready to validate the technology it on the road. The Chinese auto conglomerate says that it will begin a pilot deployment of its solid-state batteries across its sprawling portfolio of child brands beginning in 2027—potentially including Volvo.
Photo by: Geely
Because Geely owns the brand, it means some seriously sophisticated battery tech could eventually find its way into the Swedes’ EVs.
Geely’s claimed battery specs are indeed impressive. The automaker says that it managed to achieve a density of 500 Wh/kg, which is about twice as dense as its current “Golden Brick” batteries at the cell-level. Range is equally as impressive. Geely claims that it’s targeting range that would rival diesel-powered cars. That means over 621 miles (1,000 kilometers) on a single charge. Plus, according to Geely, the battery is engineered to have a lifespan of more than 600,000 miles.
There are other benefits to solid-state batteries, too. Weight savings, less volatile chemical compounds (meaning potentially safer in an accident and less prone to thermal runaway), plus, better performance for both charging and discharging.
Now, we should probably call out here that there’s a difference between a low-volume pilot deployment across brands and mass production. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk once said: “Prototypes are easy, scaling production is very hard.”
Geely says that it’s “pilot deployment across portfolio brands” is planned for 2027, which doesn’t necessarily mean that a 621-mile Volvo EX90 will be on your local dealership’s menu. But the Volvo brand itself is positioned well to potentially take on the new tech. Its historically been an ambassador of cutting-edge tech, plus, is positioned as a premium brand that can better absorb the cost of new, more expensive tech.
Volvo is just one of the brands under Geely’s vast umbrella. It also includes Polestar (RIP in the USA), Lotus, Smart, Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Proton, Farizon, and more. Which brands Geely chooses to trial this tech is still one of the unknowns, as is where Geely will deploy this tech.
