Chery claims to be creating the world’s first GWh-level all-solid-state battery production line in Wuhu, Anhui Province. The Anhui Daily reported that containers of equipment were delivered on November 18 to the factory site located in the Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone.
The first phase of the project covers 150 mu (100,000 square meters) and is a new solid-state battery industrial park jointly developed by Anhui Anwa New Energy Co., Ltd. and the Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone. Anhui Anwa New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2020 and is controlled by Chery Holdings, although other shareholders include GPSC (Thailand), Azeba (Japan), and Gotion Hi-Tech.
The site will hold a 5 GWh solid-state battery R&D center and a highly integrated automated production line. With a design capacity of 1.25 GWh, the first production line is claimed to be the world’s first GWh-level new solid-state battery production line.
“Compared with traditional batteries, solid-state batteries are safer, more environmentally friendly, and the energy density will be greatly improved,” said Gao Lixin, general manager of Anhui Anwa New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
Presumably, the production line will enter operation over the next few months. The energy density of the first-generation solid-state battery to be produced will exceed 280 Wh/kg. The second generation, which will be launched in 2025, will have an energy density of over 400 Wh/kg. Meanwhile, the third generation of solid-state battery technology is expected to launch in 2027 with an energy density of 500 Wh/kg.
According to Anwa, the company is able to shorten the battery production process from 11 steps to 5. This eliminates the processes of baking, compaction, slitting, die-cutting, drying, and liquid injection. Also, it involves dry manufacturing of the positive and negative electrodes. The result is a 30% reduction in fixed asset investment and a 20% reduction in energy consumption for manufacturing.
Editor’s note:
If Chery really is the first company to get such a production line operating, this could be quite a coup for the company. There is no shortage of car companies, including Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz, looking to solid-state batteries as a game changer and investing large amounts of money. Of course, there are also battery producers, such as CATL, hoping to dominate the area.
Previously, Chery announced solid-state batteries and previewed a wagon concept equipped with them.
Sources: Fast Technology, Anhui Daily
