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With the rapid rise of low altitude economies, the development of battery technology has also entered the fast lane, providing power for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) and industrial drones. Although traditional lithium-ion batteries drove the initial innovation, their limitations in energy density, safety, and lifespan now hinder progress. The emergence of solid-state and semi-solid state batteries has provided unprecedented performance indicators for aerial maneuverability. This article analyzes the importance of these technologies, with a focus on top companies like Xingto Battery, and explores their impact in the real world.

1. The Limits of Traditional Batteries in Aviation

Energy Density Gap

eVTOLs require 10–15x more power for takeoff than ground vehicles, demanding energy densities exceeding 400 Wh/kg for commercial viability. Current lithium-ion batteries max out at 250–300 Wh/kg, forcing trade-offs between payload and flight time. For example, eVTOLs consume 65 kWh/100km—3–5x more than electric cars.

Safety Risks

Liquid electrolytes in Li-ion batteries pose fire hazards during rapid discharge or physical damage. In drones, puncture risks from crashes or overheating during high-power maneuvers remain unresolved.

Cycle Life Challenges

Aviation-grade batteries need 500+ cycles to be economically feasible, but standard LiPo batteries degrade after 300 cycles, increasing operational costs.

2.How Solid-State Batteries Solve Aviation’s Core Challenges

Higher Energy Density

• Current Benchmarks: Semi-solid batteries from suppliers like Xingto achieve 260–500 Wh/kg.
• Impact: A 50% density boost extends drone flight time from 30 to 60+ minutes, critical for logistics and surveillance.

Enhanced Safety

Solid electrolytes eliminate flammable liquids, passing puncture and extreme-temperature tests. For instance, Xingto’s semi-solid batteries operate at -30°C to 55°C, ensuring stability in harsh environments.

Longer Lifespan

Semi-solid batteries sustain 800–1,000 cycles with <20% capacity loss, doubling Li-ion longevity. This reduces replacement costs for fleet operators.

3. Technical parameters of Xingto semi-solid drone battery

Number	Energy density	Model	L*W*T(±3mm）	Weight(±200g)	Power	Full voltage	Rated voltage	C-rate
1	340Wh/kg	ZXGT004-6S8.5AH	40*56*160mm	0.8kg	188.7wh	25.2V	22.2V	Peak discharge rate 10c Constant discharge rate 3-5c
		ZXGT004-6S13AH	65*65*140mm	1.13kg	288.6wh	25.2V	22.2V
2		ZXGT004-6S28AH	76*67*194 mm	1.99kg	621.6wh	25.2V	22.2V
3		ZXGT004-6S40AH	92*69*213 mm	2.77kg	888wh	25.2V	22.2V
4		ZXGT004-7S40AH	92*81*213mm	3.22kg	1036wh	29.4V	25.9V
		ZXGT004-8S40AH	92*92*216mm	3.66kg	1184wh	33.6V	29.6V
5		ZXGT004-10S40AH	108*92*213mm	4.56kg	1480wh	42V	37V
		ZXGT004-12S8.5AH	76*56*160mm	1.5kg	377.4wh	50.4V	44.4V
6		ZXGT004-12S13AH	127*65*140mm	2.16kg	577.2wh	50.4V	44.4V
7		ZXGT004-12S28AH	130*67*196 mm	4.01kg	1243.2wh	50.4V	44.4V
8		ZXGT004-12S40AH	138*92*213 mm	5.48kg	1776wh	50.4V	44.4V
		ZXGT004-14S8.5AH	88*56*160mm	1.9kg	400.3wh	58.8V	51.8V
9		ZXGT004-14S13AH	147*65*140mm	2.67kg	673.4wh	58.8V	51.8V
10		ZXGT004-14S28AH	149*76*196 mm	4.50kg	1450.4wh	58.8V	51.8V
11		ZXGT004-14S40AH	155*89*213 mm	6.45kg	2072wh	58.8V	51.8V
		ZXGT004-18S8.5AH	112*56*160mm	2.3kg	566.1wh	75.6V	66.6V
12		ZXGT004-18S13AH	188*65*140mm	3.29kg	865.8wh	75.6V	66.6V
13		ZXGT004-18S28AH	195*76*196 mm	6.03kg	1864.8wh	75.6V	66.6V
14		ZXGT004-18S40AH	200*89*213 mm	8.32kg	2664wh	75.6V	66.6V
		ZXGT004-24S8.5AH	76*112*160mm	3.4kg	754.8wh	100.8V	88.8V
15		ZXGT004-24S13AH	127*134*140mm	4.72kg	1154.4wh	100.8V	88.8V
16		ZXGT004-24S28AH	130*152*196 mm	7.97kg	2486.4wh	100.8V	88.8V
17		ZXGT004-24S40AH	139*180*223 mm	11.02kg	3552wh	100.8V	88.8V
Other models can be customized

Number	Energy density	Model	L*W*T(±3mm）	Weight(±200g)	Power	Full voltage	Rated voltage	C-rate
1	500Wh/kg	ZXGT003-6S25.5AH	52*76*188 mm	1.42kg	581.4wh	25.8V	22.8v	discharge：                   -20°--0°/0.3C                       0--45°/1C
2		ZXGT003-12S25.5AH	100*76*188 mm	2.7kg	1162.8wh	45.6V	45.6V
3		ZXGT003-14S25.5AH	116*76*188 mm	3.3kg	1356.6wh	53.2V	53.2V
4		ZXGT003-18S25.5AH	148*76*188 mm	4.1kg	1744.2wh	68.4V	68.4V
5		ZXGT003-24S25.5AH	100*152*188 mm	5.8kg	2325..6wh	91.2V	91.2V
6		ZXGT003-6S49.5AH	74*92*208 mm	2.56kg	1128.6wh	25.8V	22.8v
7		ZXGT003-12S49.5AH	144*92*208 mm	4.98kg	2257.2wh	45.6V	45.6V
8		ZXGT003-14S49.5AH	167*92*208 mm	5.96kg	2633.4wh	53.2V	53.2V
9		ZXGT003-18S49.5AH	213*92*208 mm	7.52kg	3385.8wh	68.4V	68.4V
10		ZXGT003-24S49.5AH	144*184*208 mm	10.36kg	4514.4wh	91.2V	91.2V
Other models can be customized

4. Real-World Applications and Performance Gains

eVTOLs for Urban Mobility

• EHang EH216-S: With solid-state batteries, flight time jumped 60–90% to 48 minutes, enabling viable urban taxi services.
• Payload Flexibility: Higher density allows 2–4 passenger capacity without sacrificing range.

Industrial Drones

• Agriculture: Drones with Xingto’s 6S 30,000mAh battery cover 500+ acres per charge, vs. 200 acres with Li-ion.
• Search-and-Rescue: Solid-state batteries enable 12-hour flights in sub-zero conditions, critical for mountain rescue.

Military and Defense

NASA’s solid-state batteries support 800 Wh/kg targets, potentially enabling 24-hour surveillance UAVs.

5. Barriers to Widespread Adoption

Cost and Manufacturing

• eVTOL batteries cost 3–5x more than EV batteries, with solid-state variants commanding a further premium.
• Dry electrode processes (e.g., by Winhope Tech) aim to cut production costs by 2027.

Thermal Management

While solid-state batteries excel in safety, managing heat during rapid charging (e.g., 5–10 min fast-charging) requires advanced cooling systems.

6. The Roadmap: 2025–2030 Outlook

2025: Semi-solid batteries dominate high-end drones (e.g., Xingto’s 12S series).

2027: All-solid-state batteries debut in commercial eVTOLs, per CATL and Gotion’s plans.

2030: Energy densities reach 600 Wh/kg, enabling 1,000 km eVTOL ranges.

Conclusion: The Sky’s the Limit

Solid-state and semi-solid batteries are not merely incremental upgrades—they redefine the feasibility of low-altitude mobility. For operators, prioritizing energy density, safety, and cycle life will dictate technology choices. As pioneers like Xingto Battery refine semi-solid solutions and all-solid-state tech matures, the gap between experimental prototypes and commercial workhorses will close. The future of aerial transport hinges on batteries that are lighter, safer, and more powerful—and that future is closer than it seems.