Saft launches pilot all-solid-state battery line in Bordeaux

At Saft's plant in Bordeaux, in the Gironde department, the first all-solid-state battery line was inaugurated on Monday, October 16. The group, a TotalEnergies subsidiary, generated 1.4 billion euros in revenue in 2025, and its batteries power ships, trains, aircraft, satellites, smart meters and energy storage systems.

In a conventional battery, ions travel between the two poles through an electrolyte, the conductive medium that carries them. Here, that electrolyte is solid. According to Saft, this substitution eliminates highly flammable components, which greatly reduces risks. The site employs about 700 people, including 300 researchers and engineers, and is home to the group's global research center.

Cédric Duclos, Saft's CEO, says the line has already reached an energy density close to 400 Wh/kg, meaning watt-hours per kilogram, with the goal of exceeding 500 Wh/kg. A lithium-ion cell in current production tops out at between 250 and 300 Wh/kg. The group says its energy density could rise by up to 50% compared with conventional lithium-ion, and puts the possible reduction in CO₂ emissions linked to this manufacturing stage at up to 40%, without a full assessment of the battery's lifecycle.

These figures come from the company, and they stem from a pilot line. Enerzine points out that these are not yet industrial production rates or a fixed process, and quality control still has to be carried out. Saft does not disclose annual production volumes or a timeline for widespread commercialization. Bouger à Bordeaux stresses that this start-up is a manufacturing step, which does not amount to certification of a battery intended for flight.

The cells will be evaluated before being integrated into future battery architectures, and most validation testing will be carried out at the system test center of the Safran site in Niort, according to VIPress. No market launch date has been announced. To put the stakes in context, L'Usine Nouvelle recalls that China outlined its ambitions at the end of September, with mass production hoped for as early as 2030.