Chinese Academy of Sciences Publishes 451.5 Wh/kg Solid-State Battery With 3-Minute Charging Capability

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) published results on May 21, 2026 demonstrating a solid-state lithium-metal battery achieving 451.5 Wh/kg energy density while sustaining 700 charge-discharge cycles at a 20C discharge rate — equivalent to approximately 3 minutes of full discharge. The pouch cell uses a PVDF-based (polyvinylidene fluoride) polymer solid electrolyte in conjunction with a high-capacity lithium-metal anode, enabling both the high energy density and the extreme charge/discharge rate. Crucially, the cell also passed a nail-penetration safety test without thermal runaway — one of the most stringent battery safety evaluations — demonstrating that high energy density and safety are not mutually exclusive in this architecture. The 451.5 Wh/kg figure is approximately 2.5× the energy density of commercial LFP cells and positions the CAS chemistry as competitive with the top tier of announced solid-state programs globally. The 20C rate (3-minute full charge/discharge) is unprecedented at this energy density level and suggests the architecture could serve rapid-turnaround applications such as electric aviation, racing EVs, and high-power robotics. The research represents a lab-stage result; commercial production of cells in this performance class is expected to take 5–8 years minimum with current manufacturing technology. Multiple Chinese developers including Ganfeng, CATL, and BYD are pursuing 400–500 Wh/kg targets for commercial systems by 2026–2028.