- SAIC-owned MG may launch a semi-solid-state battery-powered EV next year.
- It’s likely related to another SAIC semi-solid-state EV, the IM L6 sedan.
- This special battery can provide over 623 miles of CLTC range.
Solid-state batteries are a big buzzword on the electric vehicle scene these days because they promise to address many of the downsides of today’s EVs. Several automakers and specialized battery companies are working to make this groundbreaking technology financially viable for electric vehicles. Still, before true solid-state batteries reach a production car, we will likely first see semi-solid-state batteries implemented.
One automaker that plans to introduce a semi-solid-state is MG, according to CarNewsChina, which quotes local media sources. It says its new semi-solid-state model will offer great range and excellent charging performance. Semi-solid-state batteries are halfway between regular lithium-ion and solid-state batteries that do away with the former’s liquid or gel electrolyte in favor of a solid-state material.
China’s SAIC now owns MG and it makes all its cars in China. It plans to launch the new EV in 2025 and says the semi-solid state battery won’t raise the vehicle’s price. It will come standard and likely related to (or the same as) the pack in another SAIC-owned brand, IM Motors, which unveiled its semi-solid-state sedan earlier this year.
The IM L6 has a 133-kilowatt-hour semi-solid-state battery pack, giving it a claimed CLTC range of over 1,000 kilometers (623 miles). It’s built on an 800-volt platform and its maker says it can charge at 400 kilowatts, adding 400 km (249 miles) of range in 12 minutes.
However, unlike the IM L6, which gets the semi-solid-state battery as an option in the highest trim (you can also get it with two cheaper NMC packs), the MG derivative will be semi-solid-state-only. The L6 with the mid-tier NMC battery costs the equivalent of around $41,500, while the top “Lightyear Max” trim with the special battery costs $45,650.
This gives us an idea of what MG could charge for its semi-solid-state EV. If it’s competitively priced to compete with rivals from Volkswagen, Hyundai or Tesla but offers more range and faster charging, it could prove very successful. MG is already doing great in Europe thanks to the MG4 EV, a VW ID.3 rival offering more performance at a very attractive price.
However, people may be wary of buying a vehicle with battery technology whose durability and longevity have not been proven, although the financial proposition will also play a determining role. The new electric MG will be revealed in the first part of 2025 and will go on sale before the end of the year.
