Solid-state batteries will likely be commercialized at a larger scale in non-automotive applications before widespread electric vehicle adoption, Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution said during a media roundtable with reporters at its newly opened Lansing, Michigan, battery plant last week.

You’re probably exhausted from reading all about solid-state battery-powered EVs that sound like they’re about to hit the market but never do. But all the investment and research behind the technology from startups and established players is real. Battery scientists believe solid-state cells can unlock substantially more driving range, improve the cells’ thermal profiles to eliminate fire risks, and charge at blistering speeds.

However, LGES echoed the concerns around its mass manufacturing, saying progress has yet to happen on that front. “The problem with solid state is large-scale production,” Robert Lee, North America president for LGES said. “It has very good energy density, so if you’re making a small form factor, you should be able to get there. If you’re making very large form factors, most companies are struggling,” he added. 

Photo by: Stellantis

Lee believes EVs won’t be the first application for mass-market solid-state batteries. “You will see that in your smartphones probably a decade before you would see it in EVs,” he added. “I would expect specialized applications first before we’re able to contemplate that as fit for EVs or even ESS.”

Those specialized applications could be smartphones, drones, and even performance-focused EVs initially. Mercedes-Benz last year covered nearly 750 miles on a single charge in a prototype EQS sedan equipped with American startup Factorial Energy’s semi-solid-state battery. BMW has installed an all-solid-state battery from Colorado startup Solid Power in a prototype i7. And Stellantis is now also testing a semi-solid-state pack in a Dodge Charger Daytona EV. We’re seeing more and more of these batteries come out of the lab, and into real-world testing. 

Over in China, the timeline and development speed on solid-state batteries appears to be even more aggressive. BYD, CATL, Geely and several other players are all fiercely racing against each other to begin pilot programs in 2027, followed by wider potential deployment by the end of the decade.

However, advancements in current lithium ion packs will continue to drive progress in EV range and charging performance, LGES said. 

The company is working with General Motors to develop lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries. These cells will use far less nickel and cobalt, which are expensive and environmentally damaging to mine, while relying more heavily on manganese, which can be processed in the U.S. GM has said LMR batteries will power its full-size trucks and SUVs from 2028 onward, delivering more than 400 miles of range while costing roughly the same as lower-cost LFP batteries. 

Photo by: Patrick George

The Korean battery maker is also working on other next-generation technologies, including more advanced lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion cells. 

The company is gearing up to produce its new 46-series lithium-ion cells for EVs at its upcoming gigafactory in Arizona. LGES said these larger-format cells are better suited to next-generation EVs with structural battery packs, while further advancements could eventually enable 10-minute charging times and improve pack safety.

“We just want to have all those options open,” Devon Wilson, the vice president of sales and marketing at LGES Vertech, said. “We continue to look at other chemistries [and] sodium that’s a big one for us,” he said, adding that the company is preparing a pilot program for sodium-ion batteries for energy storage systems. 

Chinese battery giant CATL has already raced ahead with the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries, but the U.S. is beginning to catch up, with General Motors also announcing plans to deploy sodium-ion ESS batteries by the end of the decade. 

Contact the author: suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com

Genesis has revealed the production version of its new GV90, a full-size electric SUV that will sit at the top of the Korean luxury brand’s growing EV range.

Unveiled in San Francisco, the GV90 is based on the Neolun concept first shown in 2024 and will be offered in two main forms: the conventional GV90 and a more extravagant GV90 Neolun featuring rear-hinged coach doors and no visible B-pillar.

The GV90 is a significant step up for Genesis, which has spent the past decade trying to establish itself alongside traditional German and Japanese luxury brands. It will sit at the very top of the Genesis range, effectively serving as the company’s electric flagship and technological showcase.

Underneath is a new eMP electric vehicle platform developed specifically for Genesis’ flagship model, rather than the familiar E-GMP architecture underpinning vehicles including the GV60, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

The GV90 carries the largest battery yet fitted to a Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicle, with a capacity of 123.5 kWh.
Genesis says the seven-seat model has an estimated driving range of around 500 km based on its own internal testing. No official WLTP range has yet been announced.

Despite that enormous battery, Genesis says the GV90 can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 22 minutes when connected to a 350 kW DC fast charger.

Performance is suitably substantial for the brand’s flagship. Front and rear motors produce a combined maximum output of 490 kW and 800 Nm, making it the most powerful electric drivetrain yet developed by Hyundai Motor Group.

The GV90 is also the first Hyundai Motor Group vehicle to use electronic limited-slip differentials on both the front and rear axles, allowing the vehicle to more precisely distribute power between its four wheels.

A multi-chamber air suspension and electronically controlled dampers are designed to deliver the sort of isolated ride expected from a luxury limousine, while rear-wheel steering can turn the rear wheels by up to five degrees to reduce the turning circle of the enormous SUV.

And enormous it is. At 5,285 mm long with a 3,245 mm wheelbase and available 24-inch wheels, the GV90 is comfortably the largest vehicle in the Genesis range. The long wheelbase also contributes to a completely flat cabin floor and a more spacious second and third row.

The headline feature of the range-topping GV90 Neolun is what Genesis calls its Neolun Arch Gate. It consists of front and rear doors which open in opposite directions, with the conventional fixed B-pillar between them removed completely.

Unlike some coach-door arrangements, Genesis says the front and rear doors can open and close independently. The rear door first moves slightly outwards before rotating open, allowing it to clear the front door.

Genesis says the cabin uses a frame 1.5 times thicker than that of conventional vehicles, together with integrated high-strength steel tubes and structural foam, creating what it describes as a concealed roll cage.

The Neolun gets electrically swivelling front seats which can rotate a full 180 degrees when the vehicle is parked, which means the front occupants can face passengers sitting behind them, effectively transforming the cabin into a lounge or meeting space.

A four-seat Neolun Executive Suite goes further again, with individual rear seating, real wood flooring, an electrically controlled privacy roof, refrigerator, fold-out tables and a partition separating the passengers from the luggage compartment. In another act of indulgence, the wood floor incorporates radiant heating inspired by Korea’s traditional ondol underfloor heating system.

Genesis has removed the conventional start button. Opening the door powers up the vehicle, while pressing the brake pedal prepares it for driving.

A rotating Crystal Sphere controller emerges from the centre console and the column-mounted drive selector automatically moves into position. The dashboard features a 23.6-inch OLED display which can physically rise 90 mm from the dashboard when the vehicle is parked, expanding into a 24.6-inch screen intended for watching video and other entertainment.

Instead of a conventional instrument cluster, driving information is projected through an unusually large 25-inch head-up display. Other equipment includes a 25-speaker Bang & Olufsen Dolby Atmos audio system, massage seats with 15 individual air cells, ambient lighting, a heated windscreen and glass capable of electronically changing its transparency.

While Genesis has previously produced large luxury vehicles, the GV90 is a clear attempt to establish the relatively young brand alongside the traditional flagship models from European luxury manufacturers.

Genesis says the exterior design takes inspiration from traditional Korean moon jar pottery, with the company deliberately reducing the number of creases and decorative details across the vehicle.

Customers will have 16 exterior colours and multiple interior combinations to choose from, incorporating materials including natural wood, stone, leather and wool cashmere.A limited Neolun First Edition will also be produced with two-tone exterior paint, body-coloured 24-inch forged wheels and additional interior detailing.

Details on pricing or Australian availability has yet to be confirmed by Genesis.

The global race to build better batteries for electric cars has a new target. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited, known as CATL, announced a major change in its long-term research plans. The Chinese battery manufacturer is now focusing on lithium-air technology with a theoretical maximum energy density that matches the energy density of gasoline.

The announcement came from Wu Kai, the Chief Scientist at CATL, during the 2026 Powering the Nation Forum. Wu, who is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, shared the company’s strategy publicly for the first time, indicating where the giant battery manufacturer believes the next phase of global market competition will happen.

Source: Argonne National Laboratory

Standard lithium-ion batteries in electric cars use heavy metal compounds. These compounds usually contain nickel, cobalt, and manganese to hold the lithium ions. Lithium-air designs remove these heavy materials. Instead, they use a lithium metal anode and take oxygen directly from the surrounding air to act as the cathode reactant. Because they draw in oxygen from the environment, researchers call them “breathable batteries.” This setup lowers both the total weight and the internal complexity of the battery cells.

The math behind the technology explains why battery manufacturers are interested. The theoretical energy density limit for lithium-air systems is 12,000 Wh/kg. Gasoline sits at roughly 13,000 Wh/kg, and modern laboratory battery prototypes have reached more than 1,200 Wh/kg. That last number is four times higher than the 250 to 270 Wh/kg capacity found in mainstream electric cars today. It also more than doubles the 500 Wh/kg target expected from upcoming solid-state batteries.

If manufacturing companies can successfully mass-produce these components, the standard driving range of electric cars will change significantly. Vehicles with driving ranges of more than 994 miles on a single charge could become normal. This would effectively solve the driving distance concerns that keep many buyers away from EVs.

Source: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology

Scientists first thought of the lithium-air concept in the 1970s, but engineering problems stopped companies from using the tech in real vehicles for decades. The components are highly sensitive to moisture and carbon dioxide in the air. Early prototypes also suffered from poor catalyst stability and short lifespans. But a lot of progress has been made, and the latest academic projects have started to solve these issues.

A joint project by the University of Illinois Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and California State University, Northridge, showed an operational lithium-air battery in 2024. That prototype managed more than 700 cycles in an environment that mimicked natural air. By 2025, Argonne National Laboratory paired up with the Illinois Institute of Technology to build a new prototype. This unit achieved the 1,200 Wh/kg energy density level and lasted for 1,000 charging cycles at standard room temperature. Experts do not expect this specific design to be ready for real vehicles until after 2030.

CATL has a history of turning alternative chemical concepts into actual products. The firm presented a sodium-ion battery design in 2020, and now those batteries are already in mass production, with automakers installing them into several new vehicle models. These models include the GAC Aion UT and the Changan Oshan 520. Other automotive brands like Geely, Chery, and FAW are also using these sodium-ion packs to lower prices on smaller electric cars.

Source: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology

The new lithium-air announcement shows how the company plans to split its timeline into three distinct parts. The short-term plan is to meet current market requirements using existing, mature battery designs. In the mid-term, CATL will improve the driving experience for premium EVs by rolling out solid-state packs. The long-term is all about maximizing energy storage capabilities by commercializing lithium-air technology.

The business scales are tipped in favor of the Chinese manufacturer as it begins this long-term research. CATL holds the largest market share in the world for both power batteries and stationary energy storage systems. In the automotive sector, the firm secured a 47.0% market share in April 2026. On the energy storage side, the company sold 121 GWh of storage batteries over the course of 2025. This volume gave them a 30.4% global market share, keeping them in the number one position globally for five years in a row.

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