Author: Nathan Reed

Volkswagen Group’s battery subsidiary PowerCo has selected nanotechnology company OCSiAl to supply carbon nanotube additives for its Unified Cell battery platform, supporting the development of the automaker’s next-generation standardized battery cells. Under the agreement, Luxembourg-based OCSiAl will manufacture its TUBALL single-wall carbon nanotube additives at its production facility in Serbia for use in the graphite anodes of PowerCo’s battery cells. Nanotubes for Battery Performance PowerCo said the nanotube additives are expected to improve the safety, charging performance and service life of its lithium-ion batteries. According to OCSiAl, the TUBALL additives create a conductive three-dimensional network within the battery’s graphite anode,…

Rock Tech Lithium is facing financing challenges that are delaying progress on its planned lithium converter in Guben, Germany, raising further uncertainty over the timeline for one of Europe’s largest battery materials projects. Financing Remains the Main Obstacle According to statements made by company representatives during a Guben city council meeting, the project’s biggest hurdle is securing the estimated €750 million required to build the facility. The company said it continues to seek private investors, whose participation is considered essential before public funding can be unlocked. Although Rock Tech remains committed to constructing the converter, company representatives were unable to…

CATL Chairman Robin Zeng said solid-state battery technology remains some distance from large-scale commercial production, citing technical, manufacturing and market challenges that still need to be addressed. Speaking at the 2026 Summer Davos forum in Dalian, Zeng said the technology has reached only “level 4” on a nine-level development scale, according to remarks reported by Bandao Morning Post. Long Road to Commercialisation Zeng explained that level 9 represents the stage at which solid-state batteries can be produced on a large commercial scale. “If solid-state battery technology is measured on a scale of level 1 to level 9, progress has only…

Farasis Energy has entered into a strategic partnership with Germany-based WLF Energy to collaborate on the development of battery technologies and AI-enabled energy solutions for global energy storage markets. The companies said the partnership will combine Farasis Energy’s battery development and manufacturing capabilities with WLF Energy’s artificial intelligence-based energy management platform. Focus on Energy Storage Applications Under the agreement, the two companies plan to jointly develop next-generation battery and energy storage products for utility-scale, commercial and industrial, and distributed energy storage applications. The collaboration will cover multiple areas across the energy storage value chain, including battery cells, battery systems, energy…

CATL’s planned battery cell production facility in Debrecen, Hungary, has fallen behind schedule, delaying local supply plans for European automakers including Mercedes-Benz and BMW, according to a report by Automobilwoche. The Chinese battery manufacturer announced the project in 2022 as its second European battery factory after its German facility in Arnstadt. The Debrecen site is intended to supply battery cells and modules to major automotive customers across Europe. Production Start Delayed CATL had previously targeted March or April 2026 for the start of series battery cell production at the Hungarian plant. However, Automobilwoche reported that battery cell manufacturing has not…

Altilium has raised approximately $1 million through a retail investment round that attracted participation from more than 750 investors, the UK-based battery recycling company said. The fundraising follows the award of an £18.5 million APC Drive35 grant earlier this year to support the development of the company’s ACT3 facility, which is intended to recover battery materials from end-of-life electric vehicle batteries. Retail Funding Supports Expansion Plans The investment round was launched in April as Altilium sought additional funding for its UK operations while engaging with communities in areas where the company is investing and operating. According to Altilium, the fundraising…

U.S. battery technology company Lyten is close to acquiring Northvolt’s unfinished battery factory site in Heide, northern Germany, after reaching an agreement in principle with state development bank KfW, the German federal government, and the state of Schleswig-Holstein, according to media reports. German news magazine Der Spiegel reported that the parties have agreed on a purchase price of around €60 million for the site, which was originally intended to host Northvolt’s large-scale battery cell manufacturing project. While the transaction has not yet been officially confirmed, it marks a significant step toward reviving one of Germany’s most high-profile battery investments following…

QuantumScape Corporation and Honda R&D Co., Ltd. have entered into a joint research agreement aimed at accelerating the development of next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries, deepening collaboration between the battery technology developer and one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers. The multi-year program will focus on advancing QuantumScape’s battery platform and associated manufacturing processes through combined research and engineering efforts from both companies. Partnership builds on successful evaluation The new agreement follows the completion of a technology evaluation program in which Honda conducted an extensive assessment of QuantumScape’s solid-state battery technology. According to the companies, the evaluation included detailed technical studies,…

A European research consortium led by academic and industry partners has developed an advanced battery management system (BMS) designed to provide significantly deeper insights into electric vehicle battery health, safety and ageing. The innovation was created under the EU- and Switzerland-funded Nemo project, which brought together researchers from TU Graz, the University of Brussels, Infineon Technologies Austria, engineering service provider IAV and several other partners. Moving beyond conventional battery monitoring Battery management systems play a critical role in monitoring traction batteries in electric vehicles. However, most commercially available systems rely primarily on voltage, current and temperature measurements, limiting their ability…

Ford is reportedly on track to begin series production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the automaker’s efforts to reduce electric vehicle costs and expand domestic battery manufacturing. According to reports from CBT News and other industry sources, Ford has already begun producing so-called “D-Sample” battery cells at its BlueOval Battery Park Michigan facility in Marshall, Michigan. The cells are being manufactured using production-intent materials and are currently undergoing final validation and testing ahead of commercial production. LFP batteries targeted for next-generation EVs The batteries are expected to power Ford’s…

Austrian battery diagnostics company Aviloo has launched a new battery warranty programme for used electric vehicles, aiming to increase buyer confidence by combining independent battery testing with financial protection. The new offering provides compensation of up to €3,000 if a vehicle’s battery health falls below a predefined threshold during the warranty period. According to Aviloo, the warranty is designed to address one of the biggest concerns in the used EV market: uncertainty surrounding battery condition and long-term performance. Warranty Backed by Battery Diagnostics The battery warranty is linked to Aviloo’s independent battery testing services and forms part of the company’s…

CATL, the world’s largest electric vehicle battery manufacturer, has made its first investment in the nuclear fusion sector by leading a seed funding round for Chinese startup Beta Fusion, signaling a strategic expansion into one of the most closely watched future energy technologies. According to Chinese media reports citing people familiar with the transaction, the funding round was worth several hundred million yuan. The investment marks CATL’s debut in the nuclear fusion industry as the company continues to broaden its ambitions beyond battery manufacturing and energy storage. Fusion Startup Targets Commercial Power Generation Beta Fusion was established in December 2025…