[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Ganfeng Lithium, the world's largest lithium metal producer, is reported to have started mass production of a semi-solid-state battery with energy density reaching 650 Wh/kg. Ganfeng is a key company with battery materials supply contracts with global automakers including Tesla, Volkswagen and Hyundai Motor.

Electric-vehicle outlet Electrek reported on Feb. 20 that Ganfeng is the biggest producer of lithium compounds and metals, accounting for about 45 percent of the global lithium metal market and 70 percent in China. It recently signed a 4-year contract with Hyundai Motor to supply lithium hydroxide, a key raw material for EV batteries.

The company supplies lithium battery products for electric vehicles, energy storage systems and industrial equipment. Its newly unveiled lithium hybrid semi-solid-state battery achieves an energy density of 400 to 650 Wh/kg. Chinese media outlet Autohome said it is currently designed for non-automotive use but has a high possibility of future application in EVs.

At a China all-solid-state battery innovation and development summit held this month, Ganfeng presented a "zero-strain" lithium alloy anode and sulfur-based cathode technology. The anode showed an expansion rate of 3 to 5 percent during charging and discharging, and it passed both a nail penetration test and a 250 degree Celsius high-temperature test, proving its stability.

Ganfeng rapidly screened more than 500 small samples and moved 20 to the mass-production stage. It is also continuing development of all-solid-state batteries at the sample stage.

Competition over all-solid-state technology is also heating up across China's battery industry. China's FAW Group recently announced it had installed a lithium-rich manganese semi-solid-state battery in a vehicle. It said the battery has a cell energy density of more than 500 Wh/kg and a capacity of 142 kWh, enabling a driving range of more than 1,000 km under the CLTC standard.

BYD, CATL, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are also aiming for small-scale production of all-solid-state batteries in 2027 to 2028.

All-solid-state batteries offer higher energy density, longer driving range and faster charging speeds, and are called the "holy grail" of EV technology. But lithium iron phosphate batteries and sodium-ion batteries are also securing competitiveness in terms of price, safety and durability, so the next-generation battery race is expected to develop into competition among multiple technologies.

The industry is also seeing analysis that Ganfeng's mass production of semi-solid-state batteries could change the landscape in the high energy density market if it leads to EV adoption.