Author: Nathan Reed

Albemarle reported higher revenue and earnings in the third quarter of 2026, supported by improved lithium pricing in its Energy Storage segment. The company recorded net sales of $1.55 billion, up 18.8% from $1.31 billion a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA increased 186.1% to $645.5 million. Net income attributable to Albemarle reached $296.8 million, compared with a net loss of $160.7 million in the third quarter of 2025, according to results released on November 4. Higher Lithium Prices Support Energy Storage Results Energy Storage generated net sales of $1.12 billion, an increase of 57.9% year over year. The segment’s average…

US battery cell manufacturer Rincell expects to ship more than 500,000 cells across its product range by the end of 2026, including its RC50 and RC50T models. Announced on November 4, the company’s production update highlights growing demand for its silicon-graphite lithium-ion technology, with India’s Autorev integrating the RC50 cylindrical cell into battery packs for electric scooters and motorcycles. The RC50 is a 21700-format cell designed to combine high energy density, power output and cycle life. Rincell said the product is already in production and shipping to customers in the United States and India, with additional applications undergoing qualification. RC50…

Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) and TU Bergakademie Freiberg are developing new recycling technologies to recover rare earth elements, including neodymium, from discarded magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and electronic products. The research is part of the European Union-funded NEO-CYCLE project, which brings together 23 partners to develop processes for recovering valuable raw materials within Europe. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on imported rare earth materials by converting waste magnets into high-value resources for industries including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers and the hydrogen economy. Recycling Neodymium to Reduce Supply Chain Dependence Neodymium…

German start-up EDENenergy has delivered its first stationary energy storage system built from used e-scooter batteries, marking an initial deployment of its second-life battery technology for commercial and industrial applications. The 70 kWh system was delivered to a customer in mid-October. Based in Freiburg, EDENenergy is a spin-off from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE and is developing modular storage solutions that reuse batteries from electric scooters and bicycles. The first installation combines 112 used e-scooter batteries connected in series. Before integration, each battery is assessed to determine its technical condition and remaining capacity. The company said testing…

Webasto is in advanced negotiations with two strategic investors over the sale of its global high-voltage battery systems business, with a transaction potentially concluding before the end of 2026. The divestment would provide additional financial flexibility for the German automotive supplier as it continues efforts to reduce debt and stabilise its operations. According to reports by Handelsblatt and Automobilwoche, citing senior company representatives at Webasto’s 125th anniversary celebrations, CEO Jörg Buchheim said both prospective buyers are interested in acquiring the entire division. The company had previously considered several options, including partnerships and a partial sale, but the discussions have now…

US battery materials manufacturer Group14 Technologies has secured €150 million in new funding from an unnamed European investor, alongside a commitment to establish a silicon anode production facility in Spain. The investment will support the expansion of the company’s SCC55 silicon-carbon anode material manufacturing operations into Europe. Group14 has selected Sagunt, in the Valencia region, for its next industrial-scale production module, which will have an initial annual capacity of 10 GWh. The company said the Spanish facility would place its battery materials production closer to major European automotive manufacturers and battery supply chains. Sagunt Selected for European Production Expansion Group14…

AMG Lithium has commissioned a new laboratory in Frankfurt, Germany, to test sulfide solid electrolytes in complete battery cells and support further development with customers. The Performance Lab, known as PerLa, expands the company’s solid-state battery research and validation capabilities. The new facility increases AMG Lithium’s laboratory space by 250 square metres to approximately 1,100 square metres. Its main feature is a glovebox production line designed to replicate the manufacturing steps for laboratory cells under controlled, inert atmospheric conditions. The process includes preparing electrode pastes, coating, cell assembly and packaging into pouch cells. AMG Lithium said the laboratory is equipped…

British battery materials developer Nexeon has secured £100 million in new funding, including £52.6 million from the UK’s National Wealth Fund, to expand its domestic operations and develop a pilot manufacturing facility. Korea Development Bank and Honda Xcelerator Ventures are also participating in the investment round. The funding will support research and development in the UK, expand Nexeon’s advanced manufacturing technology unit and create skilled jobs. Based in Oxfordshire, the company develops silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries, which can increase energy density, improve charging performance and potentially extend electric vehicle driving range. National Wealth Fund Supports UK Pilot Facility…

QuantumScape plans to establish a 100 megawatt-hour (MWh) solid-state battery cell production line to serve potential demand from sectors including AI data centers, aerospace and defense. The company has partnered with German manufacturing technology specialist Muehlbauer Group to supply cell assembly equipment for the planned facility. Cell production is targeted to begin in 2028. Engineering work is underway to develop higher-throughput manufacturing processes and equipment for the new line. Scaling Up From Pilot Production QuantumScape is currently demonstrating its solid-state lithium-metal battery manufacturing processes at the Eagle Line pilot facility in San Jose, California. The highly automated facility is being…

Researchers from two Fraunhofer institutes are investigating whether thin amorphous carbon layers can improve the stability and durability of lithium-metal batteries. The work focuses on the interface between the lithium-metal anode and the electrolyte, a critical area for developing battery cells with improved performance and longer service lives. The research is being conducted through the LIMAC project, short for “Amorphous Carbon Interlayers for Reliable Lithium-Metal Battery Cells”. The Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST is collaborating with the Fraunhofer USA Center Midwest on the initiative, which began in September 2025 and is scheduled to run until August…

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) have operated a 25-Ah pouch battery cell with a silicon-rich anode for more than 1,000 full cycles while retaining over 83% of its initial capacity. The cell was developed as part of the StrOboBatt project, marking progress towards longer-lasting, high-energy-density batteries for electric vehicles. Reaching 1,000 cycles with at least 80% capacity retention is considered an important benchmark for commercial battery applications. Silicon Anodes Offer Higher Energy Density Silicon can store more lithium than graphite, potentially increasing battery energy density. However, silicon expands by up to 300% during charging and…

CATL has introduced a dual-battery system for heavy-duty electric trucks, combining a standardized swappable main battery with an independent on-board range-extension battery to improve energy utilization and reduce operating costs for freight fleets. The world’s largest electric vehicle battery maker unveiled the system in Beijing on Tuesday alongside upgrades to its Qiji heavy-duty truck battery-swapping platform. The new configuration uses two independent battery systems: a chassis-mounted main battery compatible with the Qiji swapping network and a 77 kWh auxiliary battery installed behind the cab. The range-extension battery supports 3C charging and provides backup power when required. Dual-Battery Architecture Improves Energy…

Japanese chemical and greentech company GSA has opened a battery recycling laboratory at Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB) in the Swiss canton of Bern, partnering with the Swiss Battery Technology Center (SBTC) to develop a process that directly recovers and reuses cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries. Inaugurated on Monday, the facility is intended to help GSA establish a foothold in the European market. The opening ceremony was attended by GSA CEO Ryohei Mori and SBTC Director Christian Ochsenbein. Headquartered in Kawanishi, Japan, GSA works on technologies including quantum dots, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and deep eutectic solvents. Its Swiss partner,…

Holyvolt raised $45 million in funding on October 15, 2026, from Zone II, CC.VC and angel investors from the finance sector. Existing investor Fifth Wall also backs the company. The Stockholm-headquartered battery materials developer said the funding will support the expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities, laboratory capacity and scientific team. The investment will also support the commercial development of its disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathode materials. AI Platform Combines Materials Research and Automated Testing Holyvolt’s Discovery Engine combines AI models with an automated laboratory platform developed by Wildcat Discovery Technologies, which merged with Holyvolt in 2026. The platform is designed…

BMW Group has started series production of its sixth-generation high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse at its Shenyang facility in northeastern China. The site is the third location in the automaker’s new battery production network, following facilities in Debrecen, Hungary, and Irlbach-Straßkirchen, Germany. The batteries will power Neue Klasse models manufactured in China for the local market. Producing them close to vehicle assembly operations is intended to reduce transportation distances and inventory costs in a market where electric vehicle price competition is intense. “The high-voltage battery is a key component of our all-electric vehicles and one of the BMW Group’s…

Greater Bay Technology (GBT), a Chinese battery developer backed by the GAC Group, began series production of all-solid-state battery cells on 13 October at its facility in Nansha, near Guangzhou. The company is using a converted lithium-ion production line with an initial capacity of 1 gigawatt-hour (GWh), which could be expanded to as much as 4 GWh. Rather than constructing a dedicated factory, GBT repurposed existing manufacturing equipment to produce the new cells. The company says the approach allows it to retain much of the established lithium-ion production process while introducing modifications for its solid-state electrolyte technology. GBT aims to…

The Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and the University of Stuttgart have developed and patented a cell and electrode technology designed to enable aluminum anodes in practical battery applications. The technology addresses a key challenge associated with aluminum as an anode material: repeated volume changes during charging and discharging can cause mechanical damage, reduce electrical contact within the electrode and shorten battery life. According to the researchers, their approach stabilizes the electrode structure and maintains electrical contact over repeated charge and discharge cycles. Several prototypes have been produced and are undergoing testing at Fraunhofer IPA’s Centre for…

ProLogium and Rimac Technology have unveiled a concept mockup of a pouch cell-to-pack battery at the Paris Motor Show, outlining a development roadmap that places battery integration alongside cell chemistry as a key factor in advancing solid-state batteries for automotive applications. The companies plan to present a functional battery segment at CES 2027, followed by a full-scale working battery pack later in the year. On-road testing and in-vehicle trials are scheduled for the second half of 2028. The collaboration, formalised through a memorandum of understanding at IAA in September 2025, combines ProLogium’s battery cells with Rimac Technology’s pack engineering capabilities.…

CATL has participated in all three waves of the Global Battery Alliance (GBA) Battery Passport pilot programme, according to the company. The latest phase involved cell manufacturers representing nearly 80% of global battery production capacity, as the alliance prepares to introduce a full certification scheme in early 2027. The Battery Passport initiative aims to establish a common framework for recording and verifying environmental, social and governance (ESG) information throughout a battery’s lifecycle. CATL said its latest submission covered data across the supply chain, from mining and refining to materials production, cell manufacturing and battery-pack assembly. Battery Passport Tracks Supply Chain…

CATL and Seres have signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement to expand battery manufacturing capacity for Seres’ Aito vehicle brand, with combined annual production capacity at their joint facility planned to exceed 20 GWh once the expansion is complete. The agreement also covers supercharging infrastructure, battery lifecycle services and cooperation in overseas markets. The companies signed the agreement on Saturday in Chongqing, Seres’ headquarters city. Under the arrangement, Aito will continue using CATL batteries across its model lineup over the long term, extending an existing supply relationship between the automaker and the battery manufacturer. CATL said all Aito models have…