On December 25, 2025, the Chinese companies Sunwoda Electronic and Zhongwei New Materials formalized a strategic partnership agreement. The parties intend to jointly advance the solid-state battery segment, focusing on a key issue for the industry: new materials. This involves developing precursors for cathodes and the cathode materials themselves, as well as working together on technologies for all-solid-state batteries. The financial details of the deal, as is often the case in such situations, have not been disclosed.
Sunwoda is well known as a manufacturer of batteries for consumer electronics, energy storage systems, and “smart” equipment. At the same time, in the automotive segment the company already supplies lithium-ion cells and modules to a number of Chinese automakers, including BYD, SAIC, and GAC Group. It is specified that Sunwoda’s subsidiary Sunwoda Power Technology reached the cooperation agreement with Zhongwei in order to strengthen competencies in next-generation solid-state technologies.
Zhongwei, in turn, is among the leaders in new energy materials. The company produces nickel- and cobalt-containing products that are widely used in batteries for electric vehicles, and supplies them to major market players, including CATL, BYD, and Farasis. In its research, Zhongwei emphasizes electrolytes for solid-state batteries, while simultaneously developing directions in precursors, cathodes, and solid electrolytes.
Sunwoda already has developments: a first-generation all-solid-state polymer-based battery with an energy density of about 400 Wh/kg and a capacity of 20 Ah, capable of withstanding around 1,200 cycles under low external pressure. By the end of 2025, the company planned to launch a 0.2 GWh pilot line in order to move to larger cells with a capacity of 60 Ah (source: carnewschina.com).
The main goal of the partnership is to combine the engineering, resource, manufacturing, and technological capabilities of the two companies and thereby accelerate the commercialization of solid-state batteries. Against the backdrop of the overall trend, this looks logical: in 2025, a number of Chinese manufacturers, including CATL, Funeng Technology, and Qingtao Energy, are launching or planning pilot lines, and GAC has already showcased 60 Ah batteries with sulfide solid electrolytes. Analysts expect that by 2030 global shipments of solid-state batteries could grow to 614 GWh, and almost 30% of them will be all-solid-state. At the same time, to launch the project Sunwoda and Zhongwei will need separate official contracts that will spell out the practical implementation of the agreements.
