BatteryTech News & Updates — 2026 #5

January 31, 2026

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

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⭕ Latest Article

Why DONUT Lab’s Solid-State Battery Claim Faces Industry Confusion Despite Production Timeline15. January 2026

⭕ MARKET & BUSINESS NEWS

📊 Global Energy Transition Investment Hits $2.3 Trillion in 2025

BloombergNEF reports that global energy transition investment reached $2.3 trillion in 2025, an 8% increase from 2024. Electrified transport led with $893 billion, while renewables and grid upgrades also saw significant growth. Clean supply investments outpaced fossil fuels by $102 billion. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/global-energy-transition-investment-at-2-3t-in-2025/

📊 China EV Battery Installs Up 40% in 2025 as LFP Dominates

China’s EV battery installations rose 40.4% year-on-year to 769.7 GWh in 2025, with LFP batteries accounting for 81.2% of the total. CATL led with 43.4% market share, followed by BYD at 21.6%. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/china-ev-battery-installs-up-40-in-2025-as-lfp-dominates/

🚗 BYD Targets 1.3 Million Overseas EV Sales in 2026

BYD plans to sell 1.3 million vehicles in overseas markets in 2026, a 25% increase from 2025. The expansion is supported by new production plants in Thailand, Uzbekistan, Brazil, and Hungary. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/byd-aims-for-1-3-million-overseas-ev-sales-in-2026/

🚗 China’s 2025 Vehicle Exports Surge 30% Led by NEVs

China exported 8.32 million passenger vehicles in 2025, up 30% year-on-year, including 3.43 million new energy vehicles (up 70%). EVs made up 28% of exports, with top markets in Mexico, Russia, and the UAE. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/chinas-2025-vehicle-exports-surge-30-led-by-nevs/

🚗 EU Car Registrations Up 1.8% in 2025, EV Share Climbs

EU new passenger car registrations increased by 1.8% in 2025. Battery electric vehicles reached a 17.4% market share, while HEVs and PHEVs accounted for 34.5% and 9.4% respectively. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/eu-car-registrations-up-1-8-in-2025-ev-share-climbs-17-4/

🏭 Kim Long Motor, BYD Launch $130M EV Battery Plant in Vietnam

Kim Long Motor and BYD Battery are constructing a $130 million EV battery plant in Hue City, Vietnam. Phase one targets 3 GWh for commercial vehicles, with phase two doubling capacity and adding passenger car batteries by 2026. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/kim-long-motor-byd-launch-130m-ev-battery-plant-in-vietnam/

🔋 Proventia and Morrow Sign Long-Term LFP Cell Supply Pact

Proventia and Morrow Batteries have signed a Master Supply Agreement through 2031 for prismatic LFP cells to power off-highway modules. The deal includes joint R&D and customer deliveries starting spring 2026. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/proventia-and-morrow-seal-long-term-lfp-cell-supply-pact/

🌍 South Africa Considers Up to 50% Tariffs on Chinese, Indian Cars

South Africa is considering raising duties to 50% on fully built cars from China and India, up from the current 25%, to protect local automakers. Chinese vehicle imports have surged over 368%, with new investments and charging plans underway. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/south-africa-mulls-up-to-50-tariffs-on-chinese-indian-cars/

♻️ Redwood Materials Raises $425M in Series E Funding

Redwood Materials secured $425 million in Series E financing from Capricorn, Goldman Sachs, and Google. The funds will expand its energy storage platform, battery recycling facilities, and critical minerals processing. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/redwood-materials-raises-425m-in-series-e-funding-round/

⭕ BATTERY MANUFACTURING & TECHNOLOGY

🔋 CATL to Install Sodium-Ion Batteries in Cars From Q2 2026

CATL will begin installing sodium-ion battery packs in passenger cars from Q2 2026, starting with a GAC Aion model. Its 45 kWh Tectrans II packs, proven at –40°C in JAC light trucks, will enter mass production in July for light commercial vehicles. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/catl-to-install-sodium-ion-batteries-in-cars-from-q2-2026/

🔋 Clarios Expands Sodium-Ion Battery Partnership With Altris

Clarios has expanded its joint development agreement with Altris, with prototype cells assembled by InoBat. The companies aim to begin serial low-voltage sodium-ion production in Europe or the U.S. before 2030. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/clarios-taps-altris-in-expanded-sodium-ion-battery-plan/

🔋 Unigrid Begins Global Shipments of Sodium-Ion Battery Cells

Unigrid has started commercial-scale exports of its proprietary sodium cobalt oxide cathode cells, becoming the first non-Chinese sodium-ion battery manufacturer to ship abroad. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/unigrid-begins-global-shipments-of-sodium-ion-battery-cells/

🔋 Core-Shell Anode Boosts Sodium-Ion Battery Efficiency

Researchers at BAM developed a core-shell hard carbon anode that blocks electrolyte intrusion while allowing sodium ions through. This innovation increases first-cycle efficiency from 18% to 82% and preserves capacity. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/core-shell-anode-boosts-sodium-ion-battery-efficiency/

🏭 Dry Coating Cuts Energy Use in Li-Ion Cathode Production

The ProLiT project demonstrated a solvent-free dry coating process for lithium-ion cathodes, eliminating drying and solvent steps. This reduces energy use and enables scalable, cost-effective production for LFP and NMC electrodes. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/dry-coating-cuts-energy-use-in-li-ion-cathode-production/

🔋 Posco Future M Invests in Factorial Energy Solid-State Batteries

Posco Future M invested about 50 billion won (US$34.5 million) in Factorial Energy to expand its solid-state battery materials portfolio. The agreement strengthens collaboration on cathode materials and market growth. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/posco-future-m-backs-factorial-energy-solid-state-batteries/

📊 CATL Wins 2026 WEF MINDS Award for AI Battery Design

CATL received the World Economic Forum’s 2026 MINDS Award for its AI-driven battery co-design platform. The system uses physics-informed modeling and machine learning to accelerate next-generation lithium-ion development. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/catl-wins-2026-wef-minds-award-for-ai-battery-design/

⭕ RECYCLING & CIRCULAR ECONOMY

♻️ BMW Begins Mechanical Direct Recycling at Salching Center

BMW Group and Encory have started mechanical direct recycling at the Salching Cell Recycling Competence Centre in Bavaria. The process recovers and refines lithium-ion electrode materials without chemical or thermal treatments for reuse in cell production. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/bmw-begins-mechanical-direct-recycling-at-salching-center/

♻️ cylib Recycles Battery-Grade Lithium for EV Production

cylib produced battery-grade lithium carbonate from recycled NMC batteries at its Aachen pilot plant using OLiC technology. The material was qualified by a global battery manufacturer and is now used in new EV battery production. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/cylib-recycles-battery-grade-lithium-for-ev-production/

♻️ CATL and Partners Reveal Circular EV Battery Economy Roadmap

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, with CATL and over 30 partners, released a whitepaper outlining a circular EV battery economy roadmap. The plan defines five steps to extend battery lifecycles, increase material recovery, and strengthen supply resilience. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/catl-and-partners-reveal-circular-ev-battery-economy-roadmap/

⭕ MINING & BATTERY MATERIALS

🌍 EU-Mercosur Deal Elevates Brazil as Critical Mineral Supplier

The EU-Mercosur agreement secures joint investments in Brazil’s lithium, nickel, and rare earth projects to support Europe’s clean energy supply. The deal aims to expand critical mineral production for the region. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/eu-mercosur-deal-elevates-brazil-as-critical-mineral-supplier/

📊 Metal and Memory Cost Hikes Hit China’s EV Industry

China’s EV sector faces rising input costs as aluminium, copper, lithium, and memory chip prices increase, potentially adding 4,000–7,000 yuan to the cost of a mid-size smart EV. Thin margins, a new purchase tax, and weak demand are compounding factors. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/metal-and-memory-cost-hikes-hit-chinas-ev-industry/

⭕ ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (ESS/BESS)

⚡ EU Battery Storage Capacity Soars 45% to 27.1 GWh in 2025

EU member states added 27.1 GWh of battery storage in 2025, a 45% year-on-year increase. Utility-scale deployments reached 15 GWh, surpassing residential storage for the first time, while C&I storage grew 31%. Read more: https://battery-tech.net/battery-markets-news/eu-battery-storage-capacity-soars-45-to-27-1-gwh-in-2025/