The demand for travel safety, as well as green and convenient transportation, is accelerating the implementation of standards and technological innovation.

On October 21, at the First Innovation Conference on Electric Bicycle Charging and Battery-Swapping Technologies, Xiang Fanghuai, a second-level researcher at the Standards and Technical Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation, stated that with the development of China’s electric bicycle industry, safety, reliability, environmental friendliness, and convenience have become inevitable requirements for the industry’s sustainable development. Recently, frequent safety issues involving lithium-ion batteries—such as charging-induced fires and explosions—have severely endangered people’s lives and property and have also had a serious negative impact on the development of the electric bicycle industry. For a long time, China has been a major country in terms of the number of electric bicycles in circulation. According to data released by the China Bicycle Association at the end of 2020, in recent years, China’s annual sales of electric bicycles have exceeded 30 million units, and the total number of electric bicycles in use nationwide has approached 300 million. Along with the rapid development of electric bicycles, numerous irregularities—including the illegal operation of vehicles exceeding standards, speeding, overloading, and violations of traffic regulations—have persistently remained unchecked. Moreover, improper charging practices have frequently triggered fires, posing a significant threat to life and property. According to data released by the Fire and Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Emergency Management, approximately 2,000 fire incidents related to electric bicycles occur nationwide each year, with 80% of these fires being caused during the charging process. Previously, electric bicycle products varied widely in design, and the lack of unified charging standards has constrained the industry’s development. Xiang Fanghuai pointed out that strengthening research into centralized charging technologies for electric bicycles and developing relevant standards—while enhancing charging safety, compatibility, and standardization—is an essential requirement for promoting the safe development of electric bicycles, as well as a necessary step toward fostering green development and achieving high-quality, sustainable economic and social growth. Currently, positive progress has been made in the development of national standards for centralized charging.

Electric bicycle centralized charging facilities are poised for an industry boom.

At the first Electric Bicycle Charging and Battery-Swapping Technology Innovation Conference, the views expressed by enterprises also drew considerable attention. In his speech, Yuan Zhiliang, Vice President of Huawei’s Site Energy and Smart Charging Business, pointed out that the electric bicycle industry is developing very rapidly, yet its infrastructure remains severely inadequate, leaving enormous room for growth. Currently, the industry’s development stage is still unable to meet future demands for battery-swapping services. “The charging and battery-swapping market has great growth potential, but the current lack of standards is holding back industry development. The release of standards at this conference is expected to accelerate the industry’s healthier development,” said Su Chen, Deputy Director of the CITIC Securities Research Institute, who echoed Yuan Zhiliang’s view from an industry research perspective. Regarding ensuring charging safety and technological innovation, Chen Mengbin, Chief Technology Officer of Didi Qingju, stated in his subsequent remarks that safety cannot be addressed by a single solution alone; rather, it must be tackled through a relatively systematic and comprehensive approach. Huang Jiaxi, Chairman of Shenzhen Yimada Technology, emphasized that technological innovation is the driving force behind the entire battery-swapping industry’s development. It is reported that since the implementation of the new national standard for electric bicycles in 2019, the shared charging and battery-swapping industry has ushered in a period of development opportunities. Several charging and battery-swapping companies have successively secured financing. Charging and battery-swapping services are continuously being explored in the B2B sector. Under the impact of the pandemic, new business models and formats—such as same-city fresh food and catering delivery, and same-city home-delivery services—have been spurred into existence. Wang Zhixuan, President of the Electric Vehicle and Energy Storage Branch of the China Electricity Council, noted that with the introduction of national regulations governing electric bicycle charging practices and the promotion of centralized charging to ensure charging safety, centralized charging facilities have experienced rapid growth. As of now, the number of centralized charging facilities for electric bicycles nationwide has reached 4 million units, providing charging and battery-swapping services for over 100 million electric bicycles. Looking ahead, as the new national standard gradually replaces the existing market and the state intensifies efforts to regulate safe bicycle charging, centralized charging facilities are poised for an industry-wide boom.

Solid-state batteries represent the future direction of lithium battery development.

Solid-state batteries have an energy density that is more than ten times higher than that of conventional lithium-ion batteries, and their charging speed is dozens of times faster. This enables new-energy vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries to achieve significantly longer driving ranges. As new-energy vehicles continue to develop, the market’s demands on power batteries are becoming increasingly stringent. Whether it comes to range, energy density, or safety, various types of lithium-ion batteries—each with distinct advantages and disadvantages—are no longer well-suited to the requirements of the new era. Currently, the energy density achievable by liquid lithium-ion batteries has nearly reached its limit. In contrast, all-solid-state lithium batteries have the potential to break through the 500 Wh/kg mark in terms of energy density. Therefore, solid-state batteries represent the future direction for lithium-ion battery development. At present, companies around the world are stepping up their research and development efforts in the field of solid-state lithium batteries. Coupled with supportive policies from governments worldwide, the industrialization process of solid-state lithium batteries is expected to accelerate. According to forecasts by relevant institutions, global demand for solid-state batteries could reach 500 GWh by 2030. Based on conservative estimates by experts, this could create a market size exceeding 300 billion yuan. It is projected that China’s shipments of solid-state batteries will experience rapid growth from 2021 to 2030, potentially surpassing 250 GWh by 2030.

The race for solid-state batteries has begun—who will emerge as the champion?

Over the past few years, power battery technology has made rapid strides, yet safety concerns and range anxiety remain intractable challenges for the industry. Today, electric vehicles are experiencing strong momentum, with sales hitting record highs time and again. However, safety risks associated with batteries continue to surface one after another. In fact, the safety risks of electric vehicles can largely be attributed to liquid lithium-ion batteries. Once a battery is subjected to compression or impact, its separator may rupture, leading to a short circuit between the positive and negative electrodes. At the same time, the lithium battery generates significant heat internally, and combined with the flammable organic solvents in the liquid electrolyte, this can result in battery fires—or even explosions. Solid-state batteries hold promise for completely resolving these safety issues. In solid-state batteries, the positive and negative electrodes are less likely to short-circuit; moreover, the solid electrolyte is non-flammable, non-volatile, and even capable of withstanding high temperatures. As a result, under similar extreme conditions, solid-state batteries won't catch fire or explode. Addressing range anxiety essentially relies on boosting the energy density of batteries. According to the "Technology Roadmap for Energy-Saving and New Energy Vehicles," the target energy density for power batteries by 2025 is 400 Wh/kg, and by 2030, it’s set at 500 Wh/kg. To achieve the 2030 target, the current liquid lithium-ion battery technology path may struggle to meet the demand. Even the existing ceiling of 350 Wh/kg is proving difficult to break through. In contrast, solid-state batteries can easily surpass the 350 Wh/kg mark in terms of energy density. Furthermore, solid-state batteries boast an exceptionally long lifespan: after 30 years of use, they still retain more than 90% of their original capacity and can be recycled for further use. Thus, solid-state batteries outperform lithium-ion batteries in virtually every aspect.