BASF has achieved a major milestone in advanced battery technology by delivering its first mass-produced cathode materials (CAM) for semi-solid-state batteries to Chinese battery manufacturer WeLion New Energy. The breakthrough was achieved within just one year, moving the project from concept to large-scale production.
The collaboration was carried out through BASF Shanshan Battery Materials (BSBM), a joint venture established in 2021 between BASF and Shanshan. BASF’s R&D team developed a nickel-rich NCM cathode material with a special composite coating layer to address critical interface issues between CAM and solid electrolytes. This advancement improves energy density, cycle life, and stability while reducing resistance.
BASF described the successful delivery as a “milestone toward the next generation of advanced batteries”. WeLion, which has over four decades of expertise, has already been supplying semi-solid-state cells to EV makers such as Nio.
Desmond Long, Senior Vice President at BASF Battery Materials and CEO of BSBM, highlighted the importance of the partnership: “This collaboration is a significant step forward in solid-state battery development, and we look forward to achieving further breakthroughs together.”
WeLion’s Managing Director, Dr Jin Xiang, also praised the partnership, stating that BASF’s materials will be used in the company’s next-generation semi-solid-state batteries, with plans for expanded cooperation both domestically and internationally.
Semi-solid-state batteries combine features of liquid and solid-state chemistries, offering higher energy density and longer ranges. WeLion has been at the forefront of this innovation, supplying 150 kWh semi-solid-state battery packs to Nio since 2024 and collaborating with Yiwei, the EV brand of JAC Group, on next-generation electric models.
WeLion is also a member of China’s state-backed industrial alliance for solid-state battery commercialisation, launched in May 2024, which seeks to maintain the country’s global leadership in EV battery technology.
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