Hyundai dials back solid-state battery plans while competitors accelerate

The race to develop solid-state batteries is gaining momentum, but Hyundai Motor Group has decided to pump the brakes on its plans to offer vehicles with the promising battery tech. 

First things first: The South Korean automaker—once considered a leader in the race to offer longer-range batteries in mass market vehicles—said during Kia’s 2025 EV Day that it has no plans to launch solid-state batteries before 2030, noting the engineering challenges associated with the tech.

• Spencer Cho, Hyundai Motor Group’s global product planning chief, said solid-state batteries are complex, requiring more of the company’s R&D (shared among Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis) to bring the tech to market.

• Despite their longer-range and faster charging capabilities, solid-state batteries are challenged by several issues, including manufacturing costs, the stability of the materials, and scalability. 

• Cho says Hyundai will focus on improving its existing battery offerings, including lower-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), which are developed and sourced from outside suppliers.

News of Hyundai Motor Group’s apprehension about the market viability of solid-state batteries comes nearly two years after the company announced plans to invest more than $6 billion (USD) into battery development, as part of its accelerated electrification strategy.    

Between the lines: Several other mass-market automakers are ramping up their efforts to bring the longer-range battery technology to market.

• Mercedes-Benz is currently testing its own solid-state batteries for its EVs, with a reported range of 620 miles on a single charge, using battery technology developed in partnership with the US-based company, Factorial Energy.

• Stellantis also has partnered with Factorial to use the company’s solid-state batteries for a demonstration fleet of all-new Dodge Charger Daytona vehicles scheduled to hit the road by 2026.   

• Toyota recently scored a big win in its strategy to develop solid-state batteries, with the announcement that Tokyo-based oil giant Idemitsu will build a facility to produce lithium sulfide, a critical raw material for the mass production of the batteries.

Why it matters: Solid-state batteries could be a major windfall for dealers and consumers alike in that they address range and charging concerns with BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). But Hyundai’s bet on incremental innovation could keep costs down and EV sales strong in the near term. However, if solid-state batteries reach mass production sooner than expected, they risk losing ground to competitors accelerating their investments in the technology today.

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