You can invest in solid-state batteries through publicly traded companies developing the technology, automakers building it into their EV roadmaps, material suppliers feeding the supply chain, and exchange-traded funds that bundle battery-sector exposure into a single holding. The market is early stage, valued at roughly $1.6 billion in 2025, but projected to reach $15.65 billion by 2033 at a compound annual growth rate of 31.8%. That growth trajectory attracts speculative capital, but the technology still faces real manufacturing hurdles that make individual stock picks risky.
Why Solid-State Batteries Attract Investor Interest
Solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolyte inside conventional lithium-ion cells with a solid material, typically a ceramic, sulfide, or polymer. That swap enables the use of a lithium-metal anode instead of graphite, which delivers roughly 40% more energy per unit of weight and 70% more per unit of volume compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. For electric vehicles, that translates to longer range without a heavier or bulkier battery pack.
Safety is the other headline advantage. Liquid electrolytes are flammable, which is why thermal runaway (the chain reaction behind battery fires) remains a design constraint in current EVs. A solid electrolyte largely eliminates that risk, which could simplify vehicle engineering and reduce cooling system costs. These two benefits, density and safety, are what make the technology so commercially attractive and why major automakers are pouring billions into development.
Pure-Play Solid-State Stocks
Two companies trade on U.S. exchanges with solid-state batteries as their core business:
- QuantumScape (QS) is developing a lithium-metal solid-state cell and has a partnership with Volkswagen. It trades on the NYSE and is the most recognized name in the space. The company is pre-revenue, meaning its stock price reflects expectations about future production rather than current sales.
- Solid Power (SLDP) trades on the Nasdaq and is developing sulfide-based solid electrolyte cells. It has partnerships with BMW and Ford. Like QuantumScape, it is pre-revenue and burning cash as it works toward pilot production.
Both companies carry the risk profile of any pre-revenue technology startup: they need continued funding, their timelines could slip, and a competitor’s breakthrough could undercut their approach. If you’re comfortable with that volatility, these offer the most direct exposure to solid-state battery development.
Automakers and Industrial Giants
Large companies with solid-state programs give you exposure to the technology inside a diversified business, which cushions the downside if timelines stretch. Toyota (TM) is widely considered the leader among automakers. In early 2026, Japanese oil company Idemitsu broke ground on a large-scale solid electrolyte pilot plant built in collaboration with Toyota. Suzuki also entered the picture by acquiring the solid-state battery business of Kanadevia Corp.
Panasonic (PCRFY), already one of the world’s largest battery manufacturers, is developing solid-state technology alongside its existing lithium-ion production. Nissan (NSANY) has its own program targeting pilot production in the late 2020s. These stocks won’t move dramatically on solid-state news alone because the technology is a small piece of their overall revenue, but they let you participate in the upside without betting entirely on an unproven product.
Supply Chain and Material Companies
Solid-state batteries require specialized electrolyte materials, including sulfide, oxide, phosphate, and halide compounds, along with lithium metal for the anode. Companies that mine or refine these raw materials stand to benefit regardless of which cell manufacturer wins the race.
Albemarle (ALB) is one of the world’s largest lithium producers and supplies material that goes into both current lithium-ion and future solid-state cells. Arcadium Lithium (ALTM) occupies a similar position. Investing in the supply chain is a way to bet on the broader category of advanced batteries rather than picking a single winner on the manufacturing side. The tradeoff is that lithium prices are cyclical and sensitive to EV demand fluctuations, so these stocks carry commodity risk.
Battery-Focused ETFs
If you’d rather not pick individual companies, the Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (LIT) provides broad exposure to the entire lithium cycle, from mining and refining through battery production. It carries an expense ratio of 0.75%. The fund tracks the Solactive Global Lithium Index and holds many of the companies mentioned above alongside dozens of others.
An ETF won’t give you concentrated solid-state exposure because most of its holdings are conventional lithium-ion manufacturers and miners. But it smooths out the risk of any single company failing to deliver on its technology roadmap. For investors who believe in the electrification trend broadly but don’t want to guess which solid-state approach will scale first, this is the simplest entry point.
The Commercialization Timeline
Understanding when solid-state batteries reach mass production is critical to sizing your investment horizon. The current roadmap looks like this:
- 2026: Near-term pilots and demonstrations. Donut Lab announced at CES what it calls the first all-solid-state battery ready for OEM production, with initial deployment in Verge Motorcycles models in Q1 2026. These are small-scale, niche applications.
- 2027 to 2028: First commercialization from multiple manufacturers, transitioning from pilot lines to initial customer shipments.
- Around 2030: Mainstream mass production for passenger EVs, which is when the technology could start meaningfully contributing to revenue for the companies developing it.
That means pure-play stocks like QuantumScape and Solid Power need to sustain operations for several more years before generating significant income. If you invest now, you’re early, which offers upside if the technology delivers but requires patience and tolerance for years of negative earnings reports.
Key Risks to Weigh
The biggest barrier is manufacturing scalability. Researchers have identified at least three challenges tied to materials selection: the availability and price volatility of raw ingredients, the difficulty of integrating solid electrolytes into full cells using existing production equipment, and the gap between lab-demonstrated performance and what can be practically achieved at scale. Interfacial instabilities, where the solid electrolyte doesn’t maintain good contact with the electrodes over hundreds of charge cycles, remain an active area of research.
Cost is closely linked to scalability. Solid-state cells are currently far more expensive per kilowatt-hour than conventional lithium-ion. Until manufacturers prove they can produce cells on high-volume lines at competitive prices, the technology will remain limited to premium or niche vehicles. Every delay in hitting that cost target pushes revenue further into the future and increases the cash burn for pre-revenue companies.
There’s also competitive risk within the solid-state space itself. Different companies are pursuing different electrolyte chemistries: sulfide, oxide, polymer, and newer halide approaches. It’s possible that the chemistry your chosen investment is built around loses out to an alternative. Diversifying across multiple companies or using an ETF helps mitigate this.
Practical Ways to Build a Position
A balanced approach might combine all three layers of exposure. A core position in an ETF like LIT gives you broad battery-sector coverage. A smaller allocation to one or two automakers with serious solid-state programs, like Toyota, adds exposure to eventual commercialization inside a company that generates profit today. And if you have risk tolerance for speculative positions, a small percentage in a pure-play like QuantumScape or Solid Power lets you participate in the most direct upside.
Dollar-cost averaging, where you invest a fixed amount at regular intervals rather than a lump sum, can be especially useful here. Solid-state battery stocks tend to spike on announcement days and drift during the long stretches between milestones. Spreading your purchases over months or years helps smooth out that volatility and avoids the risk of buying at a hype-driven peak.