BatteryTech News & Updates—2026 #10

Hello Battery-Tech community and professionals. Here is your weekly update on major developments in the global battery industry, energy storage, and EV market.

This week includes BYD’s second-generation Blade Battery and plans for 20,000 flash-charging stations, Skoda’s €205 million battery systems assembly expansion, and NextStar Energy opening Canada’s first commercial battery plant in Windsor. Solid-state activity also continues, with updates from Donut Lab, Gotion, Factorial, Nio, and Suzuki’s planned acquisition of Kanadevia’s solid-state battery business.

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⭕ BATTERY TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

🔋 Donut Lab Solid-State Cell Performs in High-Temp Tests

VTT’s second test series on Donut Lab’s solid-state cell reported 110.5% capacity at 80°C and 107.1% at 100°C with stable recharging, despite pouch vacuum loss. The report notes calls for additional independent chemistry analysis. Read more

🔋 Gotion Finalizes Design for 2 GWh Solid-State Battery Line

Gotion High-Tech completed the design phase for a 2 GWh all-solid-state battery mass production line and is moving toward facility construction and materials collaboration. Read more

🔋 Factorial and Philenergy Sign MOU to Scale Solid-State Batteries

Factorial and South Korea’s Philenergy signed an MOU to pair Philenergy’s modular factory design and assembly systems with Factorial’s Solstice solid-state platform, focused on scaling production. Read more

🔋 Nio Launches Shanghai R&D Unit for Solid-State Batteries

Nio formed Nio Battery Technology (Shanghai) in Jiading to support solid-state battery R&D, including oxide and sulfide chemistries, under a Shanghai R&D and Anhui manufacturing model. Read more

🔋 Suzuki to Acquire Kanadevia’s Solid-State Battery Business

Suzuki Motor Corporation agreed on March 4, 2026, to acquire Kanadevia’s all-solid-state lithium-ion battery business effective July 1, 2026. The deal includes dry-process, leakage-free cell technology and intellectual property. Read more


⭕ INDUSTRY & MARKET DEVELOPMENTS

🔋 BYD to Unveil 2nd-Gen Blade Battery and Flash Charging

BYD said it would unveil its 2nd-generation blade battery and megawatt flash-charging technology on March 5 in Shenzhen. The company also said Yangwang’s 2026 U7 sedan will debut a 150 kWh pack with a 1,006 km range. Read more

🔋 BYD Launches 2nd-Gen Blade Battery and 20,000 Flash Chargers

BYD announced its second-generation Blade Battery with a 5% energy density increase and charging claims of 10–70% in five minutes and 10–97% in nine minutes, including at -30°C. The company also said its Flash Charging stations provide up to 1.5 MW and it plans 20,000 this year. Read more

🔋 Nio Shifts Germany, Netherlands, Sweden to Distributor Model

Nio will shift Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden to an asset-light distributor model while retaining direct sales in Norway. The company said the move is part of a new functional Europe structure. Read more

🔋 Middle East Conflict Halts Chinese Auto Exports via Dubai

Reports say escalating Middle East conflict has disrupted Chinese automakers’ exports, halting shipments to Iran and suspending transshipments through Dubai’s Jebel Ali port. Carriers are weighing Cape of Good Hope detours that add days to delivery. Read more


⭕ MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CHAIN

🔋 Skoda Launches €205M Battery Systems Assembly Hall

Skoda Auto opened a €205 million battery assembly hall in Mladá Boleslav with 84% automation and cell-to-pack technology. The facility can build over 335,000 BEV battery systems annually. Read more

🔋 NextStar Energy Opens Canada’s First Advanced Battery Facility

NextStar Energy opened Canada’s first commercial battery plant in Windsor and said it has produced over 1 million cells since November 2025. The project is funded by LG Energy Solution’s CAD 5 billion investment and created 1,300 jobs. Read more

🔋 NEO Battery Materials to Launch Drone Battery Plant in Korea

NEO Battery Materials secured a 3.2-acre site in Gimje, South Korea, for a commercial-scale pouch-cell plant for drones, robotics, and defense. The company targets 500 MWh annual capacity by late 2026 and future expansion into cylindrical cells. Read more


⭕ MINING & BATTERY MATERIALS

🔋 POSCO and SK On Sign 5-Year Deal to Supply 25,000 Tons Lithium

POSCO Group and SK On finalized a 2024–2028 agreement for up to 25,000 metric tons of lithium, described as enough for cathode materials in about 400,000 EVs. Shipments are set to begin in H2 2024 following Hombre Muerto’s 4M certification. Read more

🔋 Rock Tech and Siemens Sign MOU for Ontario Lithium Conversion Plant

Rock Tech Lithium and Siemens Canada signed a non-binding MOU tied to a planned 32,000 tpy lithium converter in Red Rock, Ontario. The plan references Siemens digital twin technology and a blueprint from the Guben facility to support design and risk reduction. Read more

🔋 South Korea Seeks to Diversify Nickel Supply Chain

South Korea is working to diversify nickel supply beyond China, including engagement with Southeast Asian partners such as the Philippines. The report cites trade pacts, joint ventures, and fiscal incentives as part of the approach. Read more

🔋 Summit Explore Launches $8M Seed Round for Western Lithium

Summit Explore launched an $8 million seed financing round to acquire and develop lithium brine assets in Chile, Argentina, and the U.S. The company plans to use Summit Nanotech’s denaLi DLE platform to improve recovery and reduce water use. Read more


⭕ ENERGY STORAGE & GRID

🔋 TotalEnergies Sells 50% Stake in 789 MW German Storage Portfolio

TotalEnergies is selling 50% of 11 German battery storage projects totaling 789 MW (1,628 MWh) to Allianz Global Investors for €500 million, with 70% debt financing. Saft will supply next-generation lithium-ion cells, with sites expected online by 2028. Read more

🔋 ESS Tech Joins SRP and Google for 5 MW Iron-Flow Storage

ESS Tech joined Salt River Project and Google in Project New Horizon to install a 5 MW/50 MWh iron-flow Energy Base system at SRP’s Copper Crossing center. The project is framed as a long-duration storage demonstration for grid reliability. Read more


⭕ POLICY & REGULATION

🔋 EU Industrial Accelerator Act Targets 20% Manufacturing Share by 2035

The European Commission’s Industrial Accelerator Act sets local-content and low-carbon criteria in public procurement, aiming to raise the EU manufacturing share to 20% of GDP by 2035. The Commission cites a goal of securing 150,000 jobs and reducing reliance on low-cost imports. Read more

🔋 Made-in-EU Rules Could Narrow Battery Cost Gap by 2030

Transport & Environment analysis calls for public funding under the EU Industrial Accelerator Act to be tied to local-content rules. The report estimates Europe’s battery cell costs could fall by up to a third by 2030. Read more


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