Author: James Carter

European battery manufacturer Automotive Cells Company (ACC) has warned that slower-than-expected growth in electric vehicle demand is undermining the business case for new battery factories in Europe, urging stronger policy support to safeguard the region’s industrial independence. In a detailed statement addressed to public authorities and private stakeholders, the company said European automakers face “high uncertainty” due to volatile demand and intense competition from Chinese manufacturers. ACC supplies battery cells to Stellantis and counts Mercedes-Benz among its shareholders, though Stellantis remains the only customer currently sourcing cells from its operational plant in Douvrin, France. See also: ACC Drops Plans for…

QuantumScape said it has officially launched its Eagle Line production facility in San Jose, California, marking a key step toward commercial-scale manufacturing of its solid-state lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles. The facility, inaugurated on Feb. 4, was unveiled during an event attended by automotive original equipment manufacturers, technology partners, government representatives and media. QuantumScape said the Eagle Line is designed as a full manufacturing blueprint, integrating proprietary equipment, materials and automated processes tailored to its solid-state battery technology. See also: QuantumScape Signs Development Deal With Top-10 Automaker, Expanding Solid-State Battery Push At the core of the line is QuantumScape’s Cobra…

Sunwoda said it has reached a settlement with Vremt, resolving a battery quality dispute that had weighed on the outlook of the Chinese battery maker as it pursues a Hong Kong listing. In a filing on Friday, Sunwoda said Vremt will withdraw its lawsuit once the settlement agreement takes effect. The company expects the agreement to reduce its 2025 net income attributable to shareholders by between 500 million yuan ($72 million) and 800 million yuan. See also: Sunwoda Unveils New Generation Solid-State Battery With 400 Wh/kg Energy Density Sunwoda disclosed in December that its subsidiary, Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Co…

Stellantis is struggling to meet planned electric vehicle production targets due to battery supply constraints at its partner Automotive Cells Company (ACC), according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg. Supply issues at ACC’s battery cell factory in Douvrin, northern France, are expected to delay deliveries of several electric models, the news agency reported. ACC is currently able to equip only around 1,000 vehicles per month with battery cells, far below its original production targets, Bloomberg said, citing informed sources. The report added that ACC has brought in a team of experts from China in an effort to…

China’s CATL has disclosed initial performance details of its next-generation 5C electric vehicle batteries, saying the cells are designed to last up to 1.8 million kilometres even under repeated ultra-fast-charging conditions. In a short video titled “5C Charging: 1,000,000 KM Made Easy”, CATL said the batteries are engineered to retain at least 80% of their original capacity after roughly 3,000 charge–discharge cycles, equivalent to about 1.8 million kilometres, when tested at around 20 degrees Celsius. The company said the results were achieved primarily under fast-charging use. See also: CATL Begins Deploying Sodium-Ion Batteries in Passenger Cars, Report Says CATL added…

Dongfeng Motor has begun winter testing of electric vehicle prototypes equipped with solid-state batteries, marking a further step toward the planned industrialisation of the technology, according to Chinese media reports. The prototypes, understood to be based on the Dongfeng 007 sedan, are fitted with solid-state cells offering an energy density of 350 watt-hours per kilogram. Dongfeng has said it aims to begin mass production of batteries at this energy density by September 2026. The first series application, however, is expected to be deployed under Dongfeng’s premium electric brand Voyah, rather than the core Dongfeng marque. As recently as February 2025,…

Tesla’s efforts to scale production of its 4680 battery cells have encountered new challenges as demand for the Cybertruck remains below initial expectations, according to a report by Bloomberg. The battery technology, unveiled in 2020 as a cornerstone of Tesla’s long-term cost and production strategy, was intended to support higher-volume vehicle manufacturing and a future lower-priced electric model. See also: Tesla Opens Engineering Review Into Cybertruck Windshield Wiper Performance One supplier affected by the slowdown is South Korea’s L&F, which had signed a supply agreement linked to the 4680 battery program. The company ultimately delivered only limited volumes, as development…

Seat and Cupra inaugurated a new battery system assembly plant in Martorell, Spain, marking a key step in the Volkswagen Group’s push to localise electric vehicle production and position Spain as a hub for small electric cars in Europe. Built with an investment of 300 million euros ($325 million), the facility spans 64,000 square metres and is capable of assembling one battery system every 45 seconds, or up to 300,000 units per year. From 2026, the plant will exclusively supply battery systems for the Cupra Raval and the Volkswagen ID. Polo, which are due to enter series production next year.…

South Korean battery manufacturer SK On said on Thursday it will dissolve its U.S. joint venture with Ford Motor Company, marking a significant realignment of one of the country’s largest EV battery partnerships. The move comes as weakening electric-vehicle demand and the expiration of federal subsidies prompt Korean suppliers to reassess their U.S. strategies and accelerate expansion into the energy storage systems (ESS) sector. Under the restructuring, a Ford subsidiary will assume full ownership of the two joint battery plants in Kentucky, while SK On will take complete control of the Tennessee facility. “The production start schedule for the Tennessee…

Volkswagen Group is reportedly planning a further “significantly lower” budget for its battery subsidiary, PowerCo SE, in the automaker’s current five-year planning round. The reduction is largely attributed to a slower-than-anticipated growth in electric vehicle (EV) uptake across Europe and North America, according to a report by German business newspaper Handelsblatt, citing internal company sources. The revised five-year plan for PowerCo is now expected to feature only a mid-single-digit billion-euro figure for investment. This marks the third publicly noted reduction from the initial allocation of €15 billion, following previous cuts to €12 billion and then €10 billion. Group Chief Financial…

The average price of lithium-ion battery packs globally fell by 8% in 2025 to a record low of $108 per kilowatt-hour ($108/kWh), according to the annual price survey by BloombergNEF (BNEF). However, the pace of cost reduction is expected to slow significantly in the coming year due to persistent raw material challenges and rising international trade tariffs. BNEF projects the average battery pack price will decline by only 3% in 2026, reaching $105/kWh. This follows a steeper drop in 2025 from the 2024 average of $115/kWh, which was driven by factors including an oversupply of manufacturing capacity in China and…

Israeli battery startup StoreDot announced a definitive agreement to go public on the U.S. Nasdaq stock exchange through a merger with the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Andretti Acquisition Corp. II. The transaction values StoreDot at an $800 million pre-money equity value, with the combined entity—which will be renamed XFC Battery—projected to have an enterprise value of approximately $882 million. The merger is expected to secure approximately $222 million in net cash proceeds to accelerate the market introduction and scale-up of StoreDot’s XFC battery cells. See also: StoreDot Begins Commercial Shipments of Extreme Fast Charging 4695 EV Cells StoreDot defines…