The race to commercialize solid-state batteries is intensifying, with Japanese and Korean manufacturers betting that the next leap in electric-vehicle range and safety will come from replacing liquid electrolytes with solid ones, the IEA's Global EV Outlook 2026 reports.
Toyota plans to bring solid-state cells to market by 2027-2028, while Samsung SDI and others have laid out similar roadmaps. BYD has also signaled commercial solid-state ambitions around 2027, and QuantumScape continues motorcycle-scale testing as it works toward automotive qualification.
Solid-state designs promise higher energy density, faster charging and lower fire risk, but remain costly and difficult to mass-produce. The IEA notes that established players in Japan and Korea are leaning on their long history with cylindrical cells and precision manufacturing to close the gap with China's dominant lithium-ion volume.
"Solid-state is the headline battleground for the next decade of battery competition," the report concludes, with the outcome likely to reshape which regions lead the EV powertrain of the 2030s.
