Lyten, a U.S.-based battery developer, is set to acquire Northvolt subsidiary Cuberg’s production facility in San Leandro, California, in a move to bolster lithium-sulfur battery production. The acquisition comes as Sweden’s Northvolt navigates financial challenges and consolidates its battery operations to its Swedish research facility.
Lyten plans to convert the San Leandro facility, previously used by Cuberg for lithium-metal batteries, for the production of lithium-sulfur batteries. This site will join Lyten’s existing San Jose pilot facility, established in May 2023, expanding the company’s footprint in California’s battery production landscape. “The acquisition of additional manufacturing capacity for lithium-sulfur is in direct response to fulfilling customer demand more quickly,” Lyten CEO and co-founder Dan Cook said, noting a significant increase in demand. “Our customer pipeline has grown nine-fold since the start of 2024 and now numbers in the hundreds of potential customers.”
The 119,000-square-meter facility will undergo retrofitting to support lithium-sulfur cell development, with Lyten planning up to $20 million in investments across its San Leandro and San Jose locations by 2025. Lyten expects the San Leandro plant to achieve 200 MWh of annual lithium-sulfur battery production at full capacity. Commercial production is anticipated to begin in the second half of 2025, according to the company’s statement.
Northvolt’s decision to sell the facility marks a strategic shift for the Swedish battery maker, which initially acquired Cuberg to establish a U.S. technology center in Silicon Valley. In August, Northvolt decided to transfer its lithium-metal battery technology to its Västerås research campus in Sweden. Northvolt reportedly encouraged Cuberg employees to apply for positions in Sweden or Canada as part of this restructuring.
Lyten, founded in 2015, has raised over $410 million from investors such as Stellantis, FedEx, and Honeywell. The company’s plans also include a lithium-sulfur battery factory in Nevada, expected to produce up to 10 GWh annually once fully operational, solidifying Lyten’s role in the growing U.S. battery market.
