2026 All-Solid-State Battery Industry Enters Engineering Validation Phase: Nissan’s 23-Layer Cell Outperforms Traditional Lithium-Ion Batteries

Japanese and Korean Manufacturers Lead in Automotive All-Solid-State Battery Performance Validation

In the first half of 2026, the global all-solid-state battery (ASSB) industry has entered a pivotal phase of engineering validation. According to TrendForce’s Global Solid-State Battery Industry Development Quarterly Report_2Q26, the technology readiness level (TRL) for ASSBs in China, Japan, and South Korea has advanced beyond the laboratory prototype validation stage (TRL1-3), with leading manufacturers now progressing toward the engineering manufacturing phase (TRL5-6). The focus of research and development has shifted from material breakthroughs to engineering manufacturing, product consistency, and automotive-grade validation.

Japanese and Korean manufacturers are leading in small-scale trial production. Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and Samsung SDI have completed partial performance and reliability confirmations for automotive ASSB cells. Notably, Nissan successfully conducted charge-discharge tests in the first half of 2026 on its thick 23-layer stacked automotive ASSB cell structure. TrendForce confirmed that its capacity retention performance surpasses that of conventional liquid lithium-ion batteries. This breakthrough signifies that Japanese manufacturers have met design targets for key indicators such as charge-discharge efficiency and durability in automotive-grade ASSB products, laying the groundwork for future mass production.

TrendForce’s report further highlights that in the first half of 2026, leading Japanese and Korean manufacturers achieved breakthroughs in ASSB sample performance validation on pilot engineering lines, with performance evaluations of automotive ASSB modules accelerating. This progress indicates that ASSB technology is transitioning from laboratory research to engineering manufacturing and product consistency validation, paving the way for future commercial applications.

Chinese Manufacturers Accelerate Technological Catch-Up with Rapid Trial Production Line Construction

China’s all-solid-state battery technology development is also accelerating. TrendForce’s report shows that leading Chinese manufacturers, including CATL, BYD, and FAW, have advanced small-scale trial production lines in the first half of 2026, with technology maturity reaching TRL4-5. Chinese manufacturers continue to invest in material research and process optimization to narrow the technological gap with Japanese and Korean competitors.

Despite a later start in the ASSB sector, Chinese manufacturers are rapidly closing the gap, leveraging policy support and a complete industrial chain. The report notes that some leading Chinese manufacturers are beginning to progress toward TRL5-6, with a focus on engineering manufacturing and automotive-grade validation. This trend indicates that the global competitive landscape for solid-state batteries is taking shape, and China’s investments in technology and production capacity are expected to reduce the gap with Japanese and Korean manufacturers in the coming years.

Application Scenarios Expand into High-Value Domains

As automotive-grade validation progresses, the application scenarios for all-solid-state batteries are expanding from electric vehicles to high-value sectors such as drones, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, microelectronics, engineering machinery, and embodied robots. TrendForce’s research indicates that manufacturers like Samsung SDI, Maxell, Ilika, ProLogium, and Factorial are targeting these emerging markets with their solid-state battery (SSB) products.

The potential of all-solid-state batteries in high-value applications stems from their advantages in high energy density, fast charging, and safety. For instance, drones and eVTOLs have stringent requirements for battery weight and endurance, and the lightweight, high-energy-density characteristics of solid-state batteries can significantly enhance flight efficiency. Embodied robots, which require long-term stable power supply, benefit from the durability and safety of all-solid-state batteries. TrendForce’s analysis suggests that the commercialization of solid-state battery technology in high-end applications is accelerating, with the potential to become a key growth market beyond electric vehicles.

While automotive applications remain dominant, multi-domain deployment is expected to inject new growth momentum into the solid-state battery industry. TrendForce’s report emphasizes that the expansion of all-solid-state batteries into high-value domains not only broadens the industry’s development space but also provides more diverse scenarios for technological validation.

Mass Production Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite significant advancements in all-solid-state battery technology, mass production still faces multiple challenges. TrendForce’s report points out that issues such as process yield, cost control, and the unification of automotive-grade standards remain unresolved. No manufacturer has yet announced a specific mass production timeline, but the leading position of Japanese and Korean manufacturers in the engineering validation phase indicates that the commercialization of solid-state batteries is accelerating.

Although Chinese manufacturers started later, they are expected to achieve technological catch-up in the coming years, supported by policy and industrial chain advantages. The global competitive landscape for all-solid-state batteries is gradually becoming clearer, with technological breakthroughs and commercialization progress serving as key indicators for future development. TrendForce’s report underscores that the core challenge for the ASSB industry in 2026 has shifted to engineering manufacturing and product consistency validation. Manufacturers must achieve breakthroughs in process optimization and cost control to realize large-scale commercial applications.

2026 Marks Critical Engineering Validation Phase for All-Solid-State Battery Industry as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese Manufacturers Accelerate Automotive Testing and Multi-Domain Deployment

Japanese and Korean Manufacturers Lead in Automotive All-Solid-State Battery Performance Validation

Chinese Manufacturers Accelerate Technological Catch-Up with Rapid Trial Production Line Construction

Application Scenarios Expand into High-Value Domains

Mass Production Challenges and Future Outlook

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