When it comes to EVs, the race to “be the first” never stops. Recently, the honor of being the first production EV to roll out with a semi-solid-state battery belongs to none other than MG.
Most people probably imagined that the world’s first semi-solid-state battery car would be a cutting-edge machine full of futuristic styling and bleeding-edge tech. And least of all, you’d be hard-pressed to have found someone who would have thought it would be an MG. Yet here we are, with the MG4 Anxin Edition preparing to hit the market soon.
This special MG4 crossover hatchback will ditch the usual lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) pack for a manganese-based lithium-ion semi-solid-state battery. The cells come from Suzhou QingTao Power Technology, a company backed by SAIC—the same Chinese automotive giant that owns MG Motors.
According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) filings, the MG4’s new battery should offer better cold-weather performance and some of the key perks associated with true solid-state batteries, even if its energy density remains on par with regular lithium-ion designs.
Solid-state batteries have long been seen as the holy grail of EV tech. They promise faster charging, higher thermal safety, longer life cycles, and the ability to endure countless full charge/discharge cycles. The MG4 may not have gone fully solid-state yet, but its semi-solid system is a big step forward.
The filings also reveal that the Anxin Edition will carry the same 161-hp front electric motor found in the LFP versions. While details on range and battery size remain under wraps, the design cues, headlamp clusters, honeycomb-style intakes, and the long wheelbase will stay consistent with the current MG4.
The existing MG4 is priced between 73,800 and 105,800 yuan (US$10,272–$14,727), with battery capacities of 42.8 kWh and 53.9 kWh. The semi-solid-state Anxin Edition is expected to launch in September, carrying a higher price tag but likely offering improved capacity and range.
