Pure Lithium New Energy released its first-generation all-solid-state battery products, which are being piloted in the battery swapping scenario for supermarket deliveries | Latest Frontline News

Text | Zhang Bingbing

Editor | A Zhi

Solid-state batteries are regarded as the future path to break through the bottleneck of lithium battery technology due to their high energy density and intrinsic safety features. However, the industrialization and commercial implementation process has always been hindered by issues such as the research and development of cathode and anode materials, solid-solid interface contact, mass production processes, and costs.

On June 27th, Chunli New Energy released its first-generation all-solid-state battery products and launched the "Beijing Yizhuang Two-wheeled Electric Vehicle Battery Swap Project Demonstration Project", announcing its progress in mass production and application implementation of solid-state batteries.

"Our first-generation all-solid-state battery products of Chunli New Energy feature real safety, controllable costs, better environmental friendliness, and long service life," said Yang Fan, CEO of Chunli New Energy, at the press conference. Among them, the solid-state battery for electric bicycles of Chunli New Energy can achieve a rated capacity of 30Ah, a range of over 80km, and a cycle life of more than 2000 times under the premise of being all-solid-state. At the same time, it has passed safety tests such as high-temperature overcharging, acupuncture, and shearing without catching fire or exploding.

The scene of Chunli New Energy's product launch conference

Chunli New Energy was established in 2022 and is mainly engaged in the research and development and production of all-solid-state energy storage batteries. In April 2023, it built a pilot line in Beijing Yizhuang and mass-produced 10Ah all-solid-state battery cells. In May 2023, it started the construction of a 500MWh-scale mass production line in the Guodian Investment New Energy Industrial Park in Lankao County, Henan Province. In October 2024, it achieved mass production of 50Ah all-solid-state battery cells.

It is reported that Chunli New Energy chose the polymer solid-state battery route and solved the mass production problems of all-solid-state batteries through the innovation of organic-inorganic hybrid solid electrolyte materials and the solid-solid interface process of supercritical coating.

On the material side, the organic-inorganic hybrid electrolyte material independently developed by Chunli New Energy solves the shortcomings of traditional polymer materials and shows significant improvements in high-voltage resistance, mechanical processing strength, and operating temperature conditions. At the same time, this electrolyte material can be adapted to the cathode and anode materials, production processes, and equipment systems of existing liquid batteries, thereby reducing the cost of all-solid-state batteries and becoming an important condition for mass production and commercialization. It is reported that the first-generation mass-produced products of Chunli New Energy use the lithium iron phosphate - graphite system.

On the process side, traditional liquid batteries have solid-liquid contact and are fully bonded in an infiltration form, with low interface resistance and high lithium-ion transmission efficiency. The electrolyte and interface of solid-state batteries are in direct solid contact and are difficult to fully bond, resulting in high interface contact impedance, a reduction in lithium-ion channels, and the appearance of stress accumulation problems. The organic polymer material of Chunli New Energy has flexibility and has advantages in interface problems. On this basis, Chunli New Energy has developed a supercritical coating technology. Using the siphon effect, the solid electrolyte can penetrate into the particle gaps of the cathode and anode materials and fully contact them, establishing a good path for lithium ions.

At present, the rate performance of the first-generation all-solid-state batteries of Chunli New Energy is not yet comparable to that of liquid batteries. However, in low-rate scenarios such as energy storage and low-speed power, the performance meets the usage requirements and has the ability to enter the market. The first-generation products of Chunli New Energy are mainly targeted at the energy storage and low-speed power markets such as two-wheeled electric vehicles and AGVs.

The all-solid-state battery for Chunli New Energy electric vehicles

The "Beijing Yizhuang Two-wheeled Electric Vehicle Battery Swap Project Demonstration Project" launched at this press conference will carry out pilot application innovation of all-solid-state batteries in the battery swap field of electric bicycles for supermarket distribution. A closed supermarket distribution scenario will be selected as the pilot, and 1500 all-solid-state batteries, 1000 compliant vehicles, 100 safe battery swap cabinets, and 1 pilot data collection, management, and operation platform will be put into use.

There is a large amount of daily distribution demand in the supermarket distribution scenario. The project will provide a systematic solution of "compliant whole vehicles, solid-state batteries, safe battery swapping, and supervision platform" for in-store delivery riders. It will start operation near two large supermarkets, Dazhong Plaza and Longhu Tianjie, in Beijing Yizhuang in June. The pilot period is one year. After three months of pilot operation, a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted on the effects such as battery swap efficiency, battery range ability, and charging safety.