CATL, which accounted for over 36% of global power battery output in 2023 and has maintained that share into 2024, has announced an expansion of its solid-state efforts, with 2027 as the year in which small-scale volume production will be achieved. The company’s solid-state R&D team now numbers 1,000 researchers – compare to the company’s 18,000-strong researcher manpower in 2023, powered by a $2.6 billion R&D budget – so the solid-state team represents between $100 million and $200 million expenditure. It’s a ramping up of activity, where previously solid-state research was relatively nominal at many companies. The team is focusing on a sulfide route, and recently achieved trial production of 20 Ah samples – 20 Ah is what’s used today…