• Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, which builds everything from smartphones and laptops to electric cars, is venturing into high-voltage batteries.
• It has reportedly patented the technology it plans to use in a future solid-state battery.
• Solid-state batteries are considered the holy grail for EVs, but challenges persist in scaling them up.

It’s rare to see smartphones, robot vacuum cleaners and electric toothbrushes sold on the same website as high-tech electric vehicles, all from the same brand. But Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has shown it can do it all.

The maker of the SU7 electric sedan and YU7 electric crossover now wants to venture into high-voltage EV batteries. And not just any kind. Xiaomi is setting its sights on what’s considered the holy grail of battery tech: solid-state batteries.

According to a report from CarNewsChina, the automaker has entered the race to develop solid-state batteries. Xiaomi has reportedly patented the electrode structure—which is basically the form of the anode and the cathode—in its solid-state battery, which it claims can deliver 1,200 kilometers of range (745 miles) on a single charge on China’s Light Duty Test Cycle (CLTC). 

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, which rely on a liquid electrolyte, solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte to move ions between the charge and discharge cycles. The tech promises longer range, faster charging and a far lower risk of fires compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries, making it one of the most sought-after innovations in the EV space.

China’s range estimates tend to be overly optimistic and are generally about 35% more than EPA estimates here in the U.S. Some napkin math suggests that Xiaomi’s solid-state battery would deliver just under 500 miles of range even by EPA standards.

That’s the same range delivered by the top lithium-ion batteries today, but the solid-state battery would theoretically provide a better safety profile and charging performance. The automaker said the battery will be able to add 800 kilometers (nearly 500 miles) in just 10 minutes of charging.

Xiaomi’s patent focuses on the structure of the battery’s two main electrodes—the cathode and anode. The company claims its design shortens the distance ions must travel during charging and discharging, boosting performance, improving energy density and reducing charging times.

Crucially, Xiaomi says its cells can be built using existing lithium-ion production lines. This is not typical of solid-state batteries, which industry executives have said require costly retooling and new equipment.

The Xiaomi SU7 was a runaway success for the brand. Xiaomi sold a whopping 136,854 units in China in its first full year on sale, outselling all EVs made by GM and Ford.

Photo by: Xiaomi

Currently, the entry-level SU7 uses the BYD Blade lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery for a CLTC range of 700 kilometers (435 miles). The Pro versions are powered by the CATL Shenxing battery (also LFP) for a range of 830 kilometers (515 miles). 

But as the Chinese EV market faces brutal competition, automakers there are in a Darwinian-style race to out-innovate one another.

That could be part of the reason why Xiaomi is joining a growing list of automakers and battery manufacturers who are betting on solid-state tech, including BYD, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Stellantis, Changan and many others.

Most automakers have said that solid-state tech won’t be mature until the end of the decade, so it will most certainly be a while before we see any of these plans come to fruition in the real world.

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