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MG Motor has announced that the second generation of its MG4 hatchback will feature a semi-solid-state battery. Solid-state batteries are the holy grail of EVs<\/a>, a much more energy-dense construction that allows for all the things you ever wanted \u2014 faster charging, more range for the same weight, less risk of fire, you name it. Mercedes has already begun testing an EQS prototype<\/a> with the technology. Big questions surrounding solid-state batteries<\/a>, though, have been the price and whether or not they would be the exclusive domain of luxury brands.<\/p>\n The originally British but now Chinese-owned brand appears to have found a way to bring costs way, way down. Debuting August 4 in China, the MG4 will start at just $11,000 in that market, per InsideEVs<\/a>. How did MG do it? By not making the solid-state pack entirely solid. The batteries, developed by QingTao Energy, still feature about 5% liquid electrolyte, resulting in a gel rather than a pure fluid like in a traditional lithium-ion battery. It’s also not the world’s greatest battery; it’s actually less energy dense than Tesla’s current batteries and even the semi-solid designs from the emerging American battery manufacturer Factorial.<\/p>\n That may sound like a downgrade, but the semi-solid battery still has one advantage: It doesn’t lose performance in cold weather, an Achilles heel of the lithium-ion type. The new battery operates at full capacity all the way down to 19 degrees fahrenheit, and at this price, that makes the MG4 a pretty great EV option for daily use.<\/p>\n