BatteryTech News & Updates – 2026 #1

January 4, 2026

Newsletter

Hello Battery-Tech community and professionals — welcome to 2026. I hope you’re starting the year with fresh energy and a bit of optimism for what lies ahead. The battery and energy storage world is moving fast, and this year already promises important shifts across technology, supply chains, and policy. As every week, here is your weekly update on the most relevant global developments.

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⭕ INDUSTRY & MARKET DEVELOPMENTS

🔋 LG Energy Solution loses major U.S. deals and sells Ohio assets to Honda

LG Energy Solution reported cancellations of two large battery contracts worth about 13.5 trillion won and will sell its Ohio factory building and related nonland assets to Honda Development and Manufacturing of America for $2.86 billion. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/lg-energy-solution-loses-13-5t%e2%82%a9-in-two-deal-cancellations/

🔋 China’s lithium battery demand to fall sharply in early 2026

China’s lithium battery demand is projected to drop sharply in early 2026 amid a forecast 30% decline in EV sales and weaker exports, prompting industry leaders to cut production. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/chinas-lithium-battery-demand-to-fall-sharply-in-early-2026/

🔋 China extends trade-in vehicle subsidy program into 2026

China’s NDRC and Finance Ministry will continue passenger vehicle trade-in subsidies through 2026, shifting to price-based rates of 12% for NEVs (up to RMB 20,000) and 10% for gasoline cars, funded by RMB 62.5 billion in government bonds. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/china-extends-trade-in-vehicle-subsidy-program-into-2026/

🔋 China suspends operations at Porsche and Volkswagen dealers

Several Porsche and Volkswagen dealers in China halted operations after showrooms were emptied, leaving customers with pending deposits; Porsche China apologized and is cooperating with authorities while planning dealership network optimization. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/china-suspends-operations-at-porsche-and-volkswagen-dealers/

🔋 Chinese automakers’ 2025 sales: BYD leads, Great Wall trails

Chinese automakers reported mixed 2025 sales: BYD delivered 4.6M vehicles (83.7% of its 5.5M goal), Geely delivered around 3M, Great Wall reached 33.1% of target, with Leapmotor, Xpeng and Xiaomi Auto outperforming while Nio and others lagged. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/chinese-automakers-2025-sales-byd-leads-great-wall-trails/

🔋 Sunwoda shares plunge as Geely affiliate sues over batteries

Sunwoda Electronic’s stock fell 11% after Geely affiliate Viridi E-Mobility filed a 2.3 billion yuan lawsuit over alleged battery defects in Zeekr 001 cars, seeking damages roughly equal to Sunwoda’s two-year net profit. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/sunwoda-shares-plunge-as-geely-affiliate-sues-over-batteries/

🔋 China mandates new mandatory EV battery safety standards

China finalized 294 mandatory national standards across industries, including no-fire, no-explosion EV battery safety rules under GB 38031-2025 effective from July 2026, along with enhanced energy efficiency and recycling guidelines. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/china-mandates-new-mandatory-ev-battery-safety-standards/

⭕ BATTERY TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

🔋 Samsung SDI and KGM team on next-gen EV battery packs

Samsung SDI and KGM will jointly develop next-generation EV battery packs using 46-series cylindrical cells to improve energy density, driving range and charging through advanced cell design and thermal management. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/samsung-sdi-and-kgm-team-up-on-next-gen-ev-battery-packs/

🔋 Sunwoda and Zhongwei partner on full-solid-state EV batteries

Sunwoda Electronic and Zhongwei New Materials formed a strategic partnership to co-develop cathode precursors, cathode materials and full-solid-state EV battery technologies, targeting pilot 60 Ah cells to accelerate commercialization. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/sunwoda-and-zhongwei-team-up-on-solid-state-ev-batteries/

🔋 CNGR and Sunwoda agree on solid-state battery partnership

CNGR and Sunwoda signed a strategic framework agreement to accelerate solid-state battery commercialization by combining precursor technology, cathode materials, cell prototyping and scaled production capacity. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/cngr-and-sunwoda-agree-on-solid-state-battery-partnership/

🔋 China unveils first national solid-state EV battery standard draft

China’s National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee released a first public draft for solid-state EV batteries that defines terms and classifications and sets stricter weight-loss limits to harmonize industry requirements. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/china-unveils-first-national-solid-state-ev-battery-standard/

🔋 CATL to deploy sodium-ion batteries at scale in 2026

CATL plans large-scale sodium-ion battery deployment in 2026 for swap systems, EVs and energy storage; its Naxtra cells offer up to 175 Wh/kg energy density, -40 °C performance, and meet China’s new safety standard. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/catl-to-deploy-sodium-ion-batteries-at-scale-in-2026/

⭕ ENERGY STORAGE & GRID

🔋 Nuvve and E&B Renewables sign MOU for 100 MW BESS projects

Nuvve Denmark and E&B Renewables signed an MOU to build 2–100 MW battery storage across Northern Europe and the Baltics; three 2 MW Danish projects will launch first, with 20–50 MW more by early 2026, all managed via Nuvve’s grid platform. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/nuvve-and-eb-renewables-sign-mou-for-100-mw-bess-projects/

🔋 EVE Energy ships 110 MWh high-rate energy storage to Turkey

Thirty-two EVE Energy 3.44 MWh-280-1P units (110 MWh total) shipped from Jingmen to Turkey to support Aksa Renewable Energy’s Şanlıurfa and Gaziantep storage projects, providing precise thermal management and millisecond response. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/eve-energy-ships-110-mwh-high-rate-energy-storage-to-turkey/

🔋 ADS-TEC Energy secures BESS contracts in Germany and Austria

ADS-TEC Energy closed 2025 with 20 MW/40 MWh of large-scale battery storage deals in Germany and Austria, including BESS5000 systems for biomass and solar integration and advancing a 1 GW/2 GWh flagship project toward ready-to-build status. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/ads-tec-energy-secures-bess-contracts-in-germany-austria/

⭕ MINING & BATTERY MATERIALS

🔋 CATL’s Jianxiawo lithium mine to restart by China’s New Year

CATL’s Jianxiawo lithium mine in Yichun, Jiangxi province is set to resume operations around China’s 2026 New Year after renewing its mining permit and completing an environmental assessment, amid rebounding lithium prices and rising LFP costs. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/catls-jianxiawo-lithium-mine-to-restart-by-chinese-new-year/