06:00 25-11-2025

SAIC launches QingTao solid‑state battery line for MG, pilot samples by year end

SAIC Group, the owner of MG, has announced the launch of the first QingTao Power solid-state battery line at its Anting plant. Pilot samples are slated to ship by the end of the year, with in‑vehicle trials in 2026 and series production targeted for 2027. On paper, that puts MG among the front-runners in the solid‑state race—edging ahead of Toyota and most rivals.

The targets are bold: 400 Wh/kg and 820 Wh/L, resistance to overheating and electrical breakdown, plus strong cold‑weather performance—retaining more than 90% of capacity at low temperatures. For markets that spend months below freezing, that combination could meaningfully shift the ownership experience.

MG is already lining up an interim step: a mass‑market MG4 with a semi‑solid battery, where only 5% of the electrolyte remains liquid. The figures are more modest for now (180 Wh/kg), yet even so it delivers nearly a 14% range gain at –7°C versus LFP.

Against this backdrop, Toyota looks more cautious: its solid‑state batteries are expected no earlier than 2028, with volume output coming after 2030, and the initial plan mentions just 10,000 electric cars a year.

If SAIC and QingTao keep to the schedule, MG stands to gain a decisive edge—especially if costs can be driven down and the technology reaches not just halo models like the Cyberster but also the high‑volume end of the lineup. In a crowded EV field, execution tends to separate the leaders from the hopefuls.