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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
World's First Mass-Produced Semi-Solid-State Battery EV Is Coming, And You Can't Have It
World's First Mass-Produced Semi-Solid-State Battery EV Is Coming, And You Can't Have It originally appeared on Autoblog. China is ahead of the game For most auto enthusiasts, solid-state batteries are viewed as the final hurdle for electric vehicles. These types of batteries offer a longer range, faster charging, and improved performance in extreme temperatures. Affordability is a problem; solid-state battery tech isn't new, but the industry has yet to produce it at scale, making it incredibly expensive. So why is a mid-range EV in China getting solid-state battery tech? MG Motor, a state-backed Chinese automaker, will soon produce a hatchback (the MG4) with semi-solid-state battery technology, and it will be available to buyers for 80,000 yuan to 120,000 yuan - or roughly $11,000 to $17,000. The MG4 - how it has solid-state battery tech In a conventional lithium-ion EV battery, liquid electrolyte travels between a positive cathode and a negative anode (both electrodes) to supply power. It's this specific movement of liquid that matters for battery performance; if you use more components in your car, more of the liquid has to migrate through the battery, reducing its range. Similarly, using the AC or heat less helps you get the most from your EV's range. A solid-state battery has no liquid; instead, it uses a solid electrolyte for energy transfer between electrodes. This means far less time charging a battery, increased battery density (which translates to more power storage and, consequently, a more extended range), and possibly improved battery life. The MG4's 'semi-solid-state' battery is a step toward full solid-state battery technology in an EV. Instead of a liquid, the battery will use a gel electrolyte. Swapping liquid for gel is more easily and affordably produced than solid-state batteries. It also provides many of the stability, structural integrity, and thermal safety benefits of a proper solid-state battery. While there's no strict designation, a semi-solid-state battery is generally defined as one with less than 10 percent liquid electrolyte. The semi-solid-state battery used in the MG4 will be five percent liquid electrolyte. It has reportedly passed a 360-degree puncture test and achieved a 13.8 percent better range retention in cold weather compared to traditional lithium-ion phosphate battery technology. The battery density is 180 watt hours per kilogram, which leaves a lot to be desired. Tesla's 4680 lithium-ion cells, by comparison, offer at least 272 watt hours per kilogram. For an $11,000 EV, though, we're not going to complain too much. Final thoughts The worldwide auto industry may be overlooking semi-solid-state battery technology. While we're left wondering when solid-state batteries will hit EVs, MG Motor is at least trying something different. A 333-mile range isn't incredible, but it's more than adequate for most drivers. At this rate, the auto industry risks leaving itself in the same position mobile tech has been in for over a decade. Many have longed for solid-state battery technology to be made available for everything from smartphones to toothbrushes for years. The song has remained the same: it's too expensive to make solid-state batteries, and the infrastructure isn't available. Semi-solid-state batteries address many issues EV doubters have. It might be smarter to give people a step toward the end goal of solid-state rather than expecting them to hold off on electrifying their small garage fleet. Instead, everyone outside of China is left wanting. World's First Mass-Produced Semi-Solid-State Battery EV Is Coming, And You Can't Have It first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 25, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 Regains Foldable Throne After Years
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is so thin Ben Sin Over a 12-month stretch between 2019 and 2020, Samsung invented the foldable phone industry that we know today. In 2019, it was the South Korean tech giant which released the first functional, useable foldable phone (I had to add the descriptive caveats because a now-bankrupted Chinese company named Royole had rushed out a foldable phone before Samsung, but it was only sold in China and did not operate too well), and then a year later, Samsung also released the first flip phone style compact foldable. Fold 7 in the hand Ben Sin But while Samsung pioneered the tech, Chinese brands soon took that idea and began engineering superior foldable hardware. Starting in 2021, when Huawei released the Mate X2, all the way to last year, when Oppo released the Find N5, Chinese foldable phones were flat out superior in hardware in almost every way that mattered: they were thinner, lighter, with bigger batteries, bigger camera sensors, and screens with a less prominent crease at the folding point. Samsung's 2022 foldable, Fold 4 (left) next to Xiaomi's 2022 foldable (right). Look at the difference in thickness. Yet Xiaomi's foldable had a larger battery and better cameras. Ben Sin It took a few years, but Samsung has finally stepped up, and its new Galaxy Z Fold 7 features hardware that more than catches up — and even surpasses — the competition. Significantly thinner compared to last generation The new Fold 7 (left) next to the Fold 6 Ben Sin The biggest change to the Fold 7 is that it has slimmed down drastically. Last year's Fold 6 measured 12.2mm thick when folded. This year's Fold 7 measures just 8.9mm, which is either the number one or two thinnest in the industry right now (Honor is claiming to be thinner at 8.8mm but there have been some disputes). The three latest foldable phones right now Ben Sin If you compare the Fold 7 just against previous Samsung foldables, the new thinness is absolutely jaw-dropping. The phone is also much lighter, at 217g, compared to 239g last year. From worst crease to arguably best crease Samsung's Fold 7 also reduces the display crease at the folding point. The crease is still noticeable if you actively look for it, but it is not as deep or jarring as previous generations of Samsung foldables. Fold 7 screen Ben Sin The method by which Samsung used to reduce the crease appears to be the exact same method Chinese brands have been using for years: allowing a small amount of space in the hinge for the screen to fold in a curved form instead of a straight fold. (The below marketing image is from Chinese brands OPPO/OnePlus, but Samsung's hinge uses this same mechanism to reduce the crease). This is a marketing image released by OPPO/OnePlus for its foldable phone two years ago. But Samsung's hinge now uses this same mechanism. OnePlus But to my eyes, Samsung's Fold 7 crease is even less noticeable (shallower) than the crease in all my other Chinese foldable phones. I feel like the crease in my Honor Magic V5 and Vivo X Fold 5 (both just as new as the Fold 7), has slightly deeper grooves at the folding point. In other words, Samsung's crease went from the worst in the industry to the best. This isn't new tech, however I need to make clear here that almost every improvement the Fold 7 has made -- slimming down, reducing crease -- are not new tech, and in fact, Samsung is merely catching up to the Chinese competition. For me, who has seen all the latest Chinese foldables, the Fold 7 makes me think "about time" more than "wow this is so amazing." Fold 7 in the hand Ben Sin However, Chinese foldables are not available worldwide (they're virtually non-existent in North America and South Korea). So for people who have only seen Samsung's foldables in the past, the Fold 7 will appear very, very impressive to them. Other bits make the Fold 7 the most polished foldable Fold 7 in folded form Ben Sin In addition to the new slimdown and display, the Fold 7 brings back the best-in-class hinge (which has always been a strength of Samsung foldables). The Fold 7 is also powered by a special edition of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite that's a bit over-clocked, so it is technically the most powerful silicon in the Android realm right now. Add all these things together, and one can make a case that the Samsung Fold 7 hardware is the best in the industry. This was something I could not say from 2021 to 2024. The camera system of the Fold 7, however, are just solid, but unremarkable. There's a new 200-megapixel main camera that can grab some good looking images, but the 10-megapixel 3X zoom lens is dated, and falls behind the Periscope cameras offered by Chinese competition. The 12-megapixel ultrawide is solid if shooting under good lighting scenarios. Overall, Samsung's camera system is fine for a foldable, but does fall behind Vivo's last two generation of foldable cameras. Fold 7 Ben Sin Battery capacity is also on the low side compared to the competition, at 4,400 mAh. Other foldables, like the Honor Magic V5 or Vivo X Fold 5, pack batteries north of 5,500 mAh in a similar form factor. That's because Chinese brands use a new battery tech known as silicon carbon that is more energy-dense. Samsung has so far avoided using this new battery tech. Considering Samsung's past history with batteries, it is understandable why the company is cautious, but I do need to point out Chinese foldables have been using these batteries for two years and I have not heard any reports of them malfunctioning. Still, the Fold 7 battery life should be enough to last an average Joe all day. I am a heavy user who is always outside (I do not work a 9-5, and I do not like to sit at home), and this phone could still last me about 10 hours of use. For a less active person, who's stuck in the office 8-9 hours a day, or who drives everywhere, the Fold 7 will be able to finish their entire day with enough juice to spare. The Fold 7 is a hit at home in Korea, and will be worldwide Reports out of South Korea show the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a major hit in its home country, as it has shattered Samsung's pre-order records. And I think the Fold 7 will have similar success worldwide (maybe except inside China, where Samsung has almost no market presence). Fold 7's outside screen next to the Fold 6. Ben Sin Despite Chinese foldables being clearly superior the past few years, various factors (some out of their control) have prevented Chinese foldables from reaching mainstream appeal. Samsung's superior brand power, marketing, and physical retail presence has kept its outdated foldables the last couple years afloat; now that Samsung actually has up-to-date, bleeding edge hardware? I expect the Fold 7 to be a hit from U.K. to Germany, Hong Kong to Singapore. As a tech reviewer, I must still say: about time, Samsung. Now let's not wait four years until your next hardware push.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
China Premier Warns of AI ‘Monopoly' as US Effort Quickens
(Bloomberg) — China will spearhead the creation of an international organization to jointly develop AI, the country's premier said, seeking to ensure that world-changing technology doesn't become the province of just a few nations or companies. Trump Awards $1.26 Billion Contract to Build Biggest Immigrant Detention Center in US The High Costs of Trump's 'Big Beautiful' New Car Loan Deduction Can This Bridge Ease the Troubled US-Canadian Relationship? Trump Administration Sues NYC Over Sanctuary City Policy Artificial intelligence harbors risks from widespread job losses to economic upheaval that require nations to work together to address, Premier Li Qiang told the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on Saturday. That means more international exchanges, Beijing's No. 2 official said during China's most important annual technology summit. Li didn't name any countries in his short address to kick off the event. But Chinese executives and officials have taken aim at Washington's efforts to curtail the Asian country's tech sector, including by slapping restrictions on the export of Nvidia Corp. chips crucial to AI development. On Saturday, Li acknowledged a shortage of semiconductors was a major bottleneck, but reaffirmed President Xi Jinping's call to establish policies to propel Beijing's ambitions. The government will now help create a body — loosely translated as the World AI Cooperation Organization — through which countries can share insights and talent. 'Currently, key resources and capabilities are concentrated in a few countries and a few enterprises. If we engage in technological monopoly, controls and restrictions, AI will become an exclusive game for a small number of countries and enterprises,' Li told hundreds of delegates huddled at the conference venue on the banks of Shanghai's iconic Huangpu river. China and the US are locked in a race to develop a technology with the potential to turbocharge economies and — over the long run — tip the balance of geopolitical power. This week, US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to loosen regulations and expand energy supplies for data centers — a call to arms to ensure companies like OpenAI and Google help safeguard America's lead in the post-ChatGPT era. At the same time, the breakout success of DeepSeek has inspired Chinese tech leaders and startups to accelerate research and roll out products such as open-sourced models, robots and AI agents. That parade of technology represents Chinese developers' efforts to set world standards and benchmarks, and grab a bigger slice of the global market. They also dovetail with Beijing's broader efforts to ensure self-reliance on critical technologies in the face of tensions between the world's economic superpowers. The weekend conference in Shanghai — gathering star founders, Beijing officials and deep-pocketed financiers by the thousands — is designed to catalyze that movement. The event, which has featured Elon Musk and Jack Ma in years past, was launched in 2018 to showcase China's cutting-edge technology. This year's attendance may hit a record because it's taking place at a critical juncture in the global race to lead the development of generative AI. It's already drawn some notable figures: Nobel Prize laureate Geoffrey Hinton and former Google chief Eric Schmidt were among industry heavyweights who met Shanghai party boss Chen Jining on Thursday, before they were due to speak at the conference. Going forward, China will seek to propel AI development in the Global South, Li said, referring to a loose gathering that includes Brazil and Africa. Schmidt later echoed Li's call for nations to work together — particularly China and the US. 'The upsides are phenomenal,' he told delegates. 'As the largest and most significant economic entities in the world, the United States and China should collaborate on these issues,' he said. 'We have a vested interest to keep the world stable, keep the world not at war, to keep things peaceful, to make sure we have human control of these tools.' —With assistance from Jing Li and Charlie Zhu. (Updates with Schmidt's comments from the 11th paragraph.) Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash Confessions of a Laptop Farmer: How an American Helped North Korea's Wild Remote Worker Scheme It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Elon Musk's Empire Is Creaking Under the Strain of Elon Musk A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China's Border ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
