You constantly hear about battery revolutions that promise to change everything. But the hype makes planning your product roadmap impossible. This uncertainty puts your projects and supply chain at risk.
A truly disruptive, mass-market battery breakthrough like solid-state is likely 7 to 10 years away. However, the next significant commercial turning point will happen between 2025 and 2027, with the large-scale adoption of sodium-ion and silicon anode batteries in specific markets.
Everyone is waiting for the next big thing. In my 10 years in the battery industry, I've seen countless headlines about "miracle" batteries. But I've also learned that the journey from a lab discovery to a reliable product on a massive scale is long and difficult. The real progress often happens in small, steady steps rather than one giant leap. For product managers like Jacky, it is critical to understand the difference between a laboratory headline and a commercially viable technology you can actually source. Let's look at what's really coming and when.
What is the next big battery technology?
You need to plan your future product line. But you are bombarded with news about different battery chemistries. It is hard to know which technologies are real contenders and which are just research concepts.
There is no single "next big thing," but a few key technologies are emerging. The most promising are solid-state for safety and density, sodium-ion for low cost, and silicon anodes for boosting current lithium-ion performance. Each one targets different applications.
The future isn't a single path; it's a branching one. Different technologies will solve different problems. From what I see working with factories, the breakthroughs you'll be able to buy in the next few years are more evolutionary than revolutionary. For example, silicon anodes are already being mixed into existing lithium-ion batteries by companies like Tesla to increase energy density by 20% or more. This is a huge improvement you can use soon. Sodium-ion is another reality. I have seen the production lines being built. It won’t replace lithium-ion in high-performance phones, but it will be perfect for large-scale energy storage where cost is more important than weight. The key is to match the technology to your need.
Emerging Battery Technologies Overview
| Technology | Key Advantage | Main Challenge | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid-State | High safety, high energy density | High cost, manufacturing complexity | Premium EVs, Medical devices |
| Sodium-Ion (Na-ion) | Low cost, abundant materials | Lower energy density than Li-ion | Energy storage, low-end EVs |
| Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) | Very high theoretical energy density | Poor cycle life, instability | Aerospace, Drones (in future) |
| Silicon Anode | Boosts existing Li-ion energy | Swelling during charge cycles | EVs, high-end electronics |
How soon will we have solid-state batteries1?
Your team is designing a cutting-edge medical device where safety is everything. Solid-state batteries seem like the perfect solution, but you can't get a clear answer on when you can actually buy them for your product.
While some niche, small-scale production exists, mass-market, affordable solid-state batteries are unlikely before 2030. The journey from lab to mass production takes 5-10 years to overcome challenges in cost, lifespan, and building entirely new supply chains.
History gives us a good lesson here. Lithium-ion batteries were first conceptualized in the 1970s, but it took until 1991 for Sony to release the first commercial version. We are on a similar path with solid-state. I've held early solid-state prototypes in my hands that were incredibly promising, yet the engineers told me the manufacturing process was still far too expensive and slow for mass production. They have to solve major problems, like ensuring the battery lasts for thousands of cycles and finding ways to build them at a massive scale. Major investment is happening, and we are getting closer. But for a procurement manager planning for the next three to five years, you should focus on the best available lithium-ion and Li-Po technologies while keeping an eye on solid-state R&D.
Will China pull ahead with battery technology?
You're managing a global supply chain. You see China's dominance in current batteries and wonder if they will also control all future technologies. This creates risk and uncertainty for your long-term sourcing strategy.
China is aggressively investing and currently leads in scaling up new technologies like sodium-ion, with companies like CATL planning mass production by 2025. However, the US and Europe are also heavily investing, creating a competitive global landscape rather than a complete takeover.
From my position working with factories, I can tell you that China's speed and scale are impressive. They dominate the entire lithium-ion supply chain, from raw material processing to final assembly. They are using this same playbook for next-generation batteries. For sodium-ion, they are not just talking; they are building massive factories right now. This means if you need sodium-ion batteries in 2025, your first quotes will likely come from China. However, it's not a one-sided story. Trillions of dollars are being invested in battery R&D and manufacturing in North America and Europe through government initiatives and private funding. For a supply chain manager like Jacky, the takeaway is not to panic but to plan for a multi-polar world. Diversifying your potential supplier base across different regions will be more important than ever.
What is the holy grail of battery technology?
You hear the term "holy grail" battery in news articles. It sounds like the ultimate goal, but the definition is vague. This makes it difficult to filter out the marketing hype from genuine technological advances.
The "holy grail" of battery technology is a theoretical battery that is perfectly safe, has an extremely long or infinite cycle life, is made from abundant, cheap materials, and holds a very high amount of energy in a small, lightweight package.
This "holy grail" is a useful concept because it gives us a target to aim for. In reality, every battery technology is a series of trade-offs. You often have to sacrifice one benefit to gain another. For example, sodium-ion batteries achieve a very low cost, which is part of the holy grail, but they do so by giving up some energy density compared to lithium-ion. Solid-state batteries aim for the safety and energy density part of the grail, but right now, they are far from the low-cost requirement. No single technology that we know of can deliver on all of these promises at once. The real progress comes from pushing the boundaries on each of these fronts. The pursuit of this perfect battery is what drives all the innovation in the industry.
Will there be a better battery than lithium?
You've built your entire product ecosystem around lithium-ion technology2. The thought of a completely new, "better" chemistry emerging is a massive opportunity, but also a huge threat that could make your products obsolete.
Yes, "better" batteries for specific jobs are coming, with sodium-ion being the most immediate. It’s not a direct replacement for all lithium applications, but its low cost and material abundance make it a better choice for energy storage and budget EVs.
The question of a "better" battery depends entirely on the application. For your iPhone or a high-end laptop, lithium-ion will likely remain the king for a long time because it packs the most power in the smallest space. However, for a massive battery pack that just sits in a field to store solar power, weight and size are less important than cost. Sodium is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, found in salt. This makes sodium-ion batteries fundamentally cheaper to produce than lithium-ion batteries, which rely on more limited resources. So, for that energy storage3 application, sodium-ion is a "better" battery. Think of it less as a replacement and more as a new tool. We will soon have a wider menu of battery options to choose from, allowing us to pick the most cost-effective and suitable solution for each unique product.
What stock is behind the forever battery?
You see exciting headlines about a "forever battery" from a new startup. You consider investing or trying to partner with them, but you worry that it might just be stock market hype that could distract your team.
There is no single "forever battery" and no single stock behind it. This term is marketing hype. Real battery progress comes from major industrial players and heavily vetted startups that are focused on solving real manufacturing challenges, not just on press releases.
As someone who works in the nuts and bolts of the battery world, I urge my clients to be very careful with these kinds of claims. A "forever battery," one that never degrades, violates the laws of thermodynamics. While some technologies, like solid-state, promise much longer cycle life, they are not "forever." Often, these headlines are created by companies more interested in boosting their stock price than in shipping a real product. The real breakthroughs will come from companies that can actually manufacture at scale. My advice for product managers is to ignore the stock market noise. Instead, build relationships with established suppliers and credible technology partners who can show you a clear, realistic roadmap from their lab to your factory floor. Focus on the scalable innovations that will actually impact your products in the next 2-5 years.
Conclusion
The future of batteries is coming, but it will be an evolution, not an overnight revolution. Expect significant, real-world improvements by 2027 from sodium-ion and silicon anode technologies.
