China Passenger Car Association, or CPCA, published a report on 23 September 2026 saying Li Auto may be able to fit solid-state batteries to vehicles in small batches in 2027 or 2028. The same CPCA item says mature vehicle-scale production with predictable user experience may still need about five years.
For a BYD Han owner in Europe, this is not an upgrade announcement. CPCA’s report does not mention retrofits, compatibility with existing cars, battery capacity, range, charging speed, or pricing.
The useful part is the split between “small batch” and “mature mass production.” Those are very different milestones, and CPCA’s report puts them years apart.
What did Li Auto say about solid-state batteries?
CPCA reports that Li Auto has several solid-state battery projects in development and has already completed prototype validation in eyewear products. CPCA attributes the report to Cailianshe and says its reporter learned on 22 September from a Li Auto insider that the company could have the capability for small-batch vehicle installation in 2027 or 2028.
That wording matters.
Small-batch vehicle installation is not the same thing as a battery being ready for broad, mature production. CPCA’s item puts both statements in the same report, and the gap between them is probably the most useful fact here.
| What CPCA reports | What CPCA does not state |
|---|---|
| Li Auto has multiple solid-state battery projects in development | A battery capacity figure |
| Prototype validation has been carried out in eyewear products | A real-world vehicle range figure |
| Small-batch vehicle installation may be possible in 2027 or 2028 | Charging time or charging power |
| Mature vehicle production with predictable user experience may need about five years | Price for a solid-state battery vehicle |
| Lifetime, charging performance, and cost remain challenges | Any retrofit plan for existing cars |
When could Li Auto put solid-state batteries in cars?
According to CPCA’s report, Li Auto could have the capability for small-batch vehicle installation in 2027 or 2028, while mature mass production in vehicles with predictable user experience is expected to need around five more years.
That is a much more cautious timeline than a headline about “solid-state batteries coming soon” suggests.
CPCA says the remaining challenges are battery lifetime, charging performance, and cost. Those are not little footnotes. They are the three things an owner actually ends up living with: whether the pack lasts, whether charging remains practical, and whether the technology can exist outside a very expensive limited run.
Can a solid-state battery improve an existing BYD Han?
CPCA’s report on Li Auto does not say that solid-state batteries can be fitted to existing vehicles, and it does not mention the BYD Han at all. Nothing in the publication supports treating this as an upgrade path for a Han already on the road.
That is the boring answer, but it is probably the honest one.
A future battery project at another manufacturer is evidence of where the Chinese EV industry is trying to go. It is not evidence that a current car can receive a different battery pack later. For the range that matters on a Han today, my real motorway range notes are still more useful than a future-project headline.
Why does the five-year production timeline matter?
CPCA reports that Li Auto expects mature mass production in vehicles, with certainty around the user experience, to require about five years. That means the company itself is separating technical development from a battery product that can be delivered at scale without turning owners into part of the experiment.
This is where the report becomes more interesting than a simple launch rumour.
CPCA says Li Auto has projects underway. CPCA also says the company sees unresolved challenges in life, charging performance, and cost. Both can be true at once. A prototype can work, a small batch can reach cars, and mass production can still be far away.
Does this report promise more EV range?
No. CPCA’s publication contains no vehicle range figure, no battery energy figure, and no comparison with any current Li Auto battery.
It would be easy to turn “solid-state” into a promise of a specific number of extra kilometres. CPCA does not provide that number, so there is no honest number to repeat here.
What the report does show is that Li Auto is developing several projects in this area while still describing the major ownership questions as unresolved. For now, that is the whole story.
What should a BYD Han owner take from this?
CPCA’s report is useful to a BYD Han owner as a signpost for future battery development, not as a specification sheet for an existing car. It gives a possible 2027 or 2028 small-batch milestone, but it also reports a much longer path to mature vehicle-scale production.
So: interesting, yes.
A reason to plan around a future battery swap for an existing Han?
No.
That is not pessimism. It is just reading the actual wording instead of filling the empty spaces with the things everyone would like solid-state batteries to fix.
FAQ
When could Li Auto use solid-state batteries in vehicles?
CPCA reports that Li Auto could have the capability for small-batch vehicle installation in 2027 or 2028. CPCA attributes that information to a Cailianshe report based on information from a Li Auto insider.
When could Li Auto mass-produce solid-state battery vehicles?
CPCA says Li Auto expects mature mass production in vehicles, while ensuring certainty in the user experience, to need about five more years.
What solid-state battery projects does Li Auto have?
CPCA reports that Li Auto has multiple solid-state battery projects in development. CPCA also says prototype validation has been carried out in eyewear products.
What challenges does Li Auto still see with solid-state batteries?
According to CPCA’s report, Li Auto says battery lifetime, charging performance, and cost remain challenges for solid-state batteries.
Will this improve the range of an existing BYD Han?
CPCA’s report does not mention the BYD Han, retrofits, replacement battery packs, or range gains for existing vehicles. It is not evidence that an existing Han can receive this technology.
Does CPCA give a range or charging figure for Li Auto’s solid-state battery?
No. CPCA’s item does not state a vehicle range, battery capacity, charging power, charging time, or price.
Source
This post comments on a report published by the China Passenger Car Association, or CPCA, on 23 September 2026: Li Auto has developed multiple projects in the solid-state battery field and may have small-batch vehicle installation capability in one or two years. CPCA identifies Cailianshe as the source of the report. The original page is in Chinese, and every translation in this post is my own. The timelines, project descriptions, prototype reference, and statements about lifetime, charging performance, cost, and production readiness are CPCA’s reported account, not independent claims by this site.
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