Samsung's oxide-based battery with record-busting energy density is on time for mass production this year.

In a move to stay ahead in the battery technology race, Samsung launched into solid-state battery chemistry and production research in 2020 with confident targets set, initially projecting the debut of its first prototypes by 2025 and their subsequent integration into electric vehicles by 2027.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) have a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid used in conventional lithium-ion batteries. They are lighter and have better thermal conductivity than lithium-ion, can charge faster and have a longer range. Solid-state batteries are also showing the potential for longer lifespans and improved performance over extended use.

Samsung's ASSBs use a silver-carbon layer as the anode and a nickel-manganese-cobalt material for the cathode. The batteries also use a high sulfur material for the solid electrolyte and an aluminum current collector.

The company asserted early on that ASSBs could potentially support higher energy densities, enabling larger capacities and utilizing demonstrably safer electrolytes; big claims and an ambitious timeline.

True to plan, Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO Chang Dukhyun recently confirmed that the company's ASSB is ready and has achieved the highest energy density and capacity-to-size ratio in the industry.

The company plans to invest in mass production facilities in preparation to supply prototypes to its other divisions for use in upcoming 2026 devices such as Samsung's Galaxy Ring fitness tracker and other wearables or products that require small, stable cells. The company expects this technology to readily replace conventional lithium batteries in personal electronics such as smartphones, tablets, key fobs, and other compact devices.

"We have secured energy density and capacity characteristics at the industry-leading level," said Chang at a press conference during the Consumer Electronics Show this month in Las Vegas. "Since this is a novel technology, there are unknowns until mass production begins, but we have conducted extensive internal testing and are in discussions with clients."

Samsung's ASSBs, which are oxide-based, feature an energy density of 200 watt-hours per liter, which is comparable with larger conventional lithium-ion batteries. Aside from high energy density and capacity, Samsung's ASSB technology promises another very important advantage – cheaper production costs.

If Samsung continues its streak of technical breakthroughs and succeeds in scaling its prototypes this year, it will maintain a competitive foothold in this fast-growing and highly anticipated industry. After confirming the viability of its ASSB technology in various practical applications, Samsung will expand to mass commercial production in 2027.

The competitive landscape of solid-state battery technology is rapidly evolving, with numerous industry giants vying for dominance in the field. Samsung, with its oxide-based battery breakthroughs, is poised to make significant strides alongside names such as Toyota, which also aims to bring solid-state batteries for EVs into mass production by 2028; QuantumScape, which is backed by the likes of Bill Gates; and Volkswagen, and Solid Power which develops solid-state cell and high-tech sulfide solid electrolyte batteries with BMW and Ford as major partners.