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Thursday 10 September 2026

Cheap, energy-dense, difficult to tame: LG Energy Solution pushes LMR closer to EVs

The appeal of lithium-manganese-rich (LMR) batteries has long rested on a difficult proposition: delivering relatively high energy density without carrying the same material costs associated with cobalt-heavy battery chemistries.

Thursday 10 September 2026

Panasonic Energy unveils high-temperature solid-state battery, targets industrial uses, robotics

Panasonic Energy has developed a new solid-state battery capable of operating at temperatures up to 150 degrees Celsius (302 degrees Fahrenheit), marking a key breakthrough in heat tolerance and opening up specialized industrial applications.

Thursday 10 September 2026

Song Chuan rides 800V HVDC upgrade wave, posts record 2Q26 sales

Song Chuan Precision said on September 8 that its second-quarter 2026 revenue and gross margin hit record highs, as demand for AI server power supplies, energy storage, and EV charging all rose at the same time. The company also benefited from a richer product mix tilted toward higher-margin new-energy products, lifting second-quarter consolidated revenue and gross margin to record levels and swinging net profit back into the black from a year earlier.

Wednesday 9 September 2026

Lotte Energy Materials pivots from EV weakness to AI, ESS copper foil

Cooling electric vehicle demand is forcing South Korean copper foil makers to rethink capital and capacity. Lotte Energy Materials has sold a 90% stake in its architectural exterior contracting subsidiary Lotte EcoWall for KRW170.8 billion (approx. US$120 million), and is redirecting the proceeds into its core copper foil business.

Wednesday 9 September 2026

Analysis: When 72% of the world's EV batteries are Chinese, one defect travels

A battery quality controversy involving GAC Aion has put supplier CALB, the world's fourth-largest EV battery maker, under scrutiny and highlighted a less comfortable side of China's breakneck expansion in new energy industries.

Wednesday 9 September 2026

Indonesia bets on a full EV supply chain as BYD opens its Subang plant

Indonesia's industry minister said the country has the resources to build a complete domestic electric vehicle chain, speaking in Subang, West Java, on September 3, as BYD inaugurated an IDR16 trillion assembly plant, joining the Chinese carmaker's operating plants in Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Brazil.

Tuesday 8 September 2026

South Korea's UBATT targets 500 Wh/kg lithium-metal batteries for drone and defense markets

South Korean battery startup UBATT is targeting aerospace and defense applications such as drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries, aiming at applications that require 400–500 Wh/kg or more and are difficult for conventional lithium-ion batteries to serve.

Tuesday 8 September 2026

SST market grows 32% as global players race to secure position

As AI server computing power and per-rack power density continue to rise, traditional 54VDC power architectures are hitting bottlenecks such as excessive current, higher copper usage, and greater transmission losses. This is pushing next-generation AI data center power designs toward 800V high-voltage direct current (HVDC).

Monday 7 September 2026

China's power battery sector maintains strong growth momentum as global market presence expands

China's power battery industry has reported robust growth through the first seven months of 2026, driven by rising demand across both electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China (MIIT), cumulative sales of power batteries reached 790.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) between January and July, representing a 37.1% year-over-year increase.

Saturday 5 September 2026

Samsung SDI nears solid-state battery mass production, eyes China supply chain

Reports that Samsung SDI's procurement team recently visited the Chinese production facilities of battery material maker Tinci Materials have drawn significant attention within China's industry. As Samsung SDI prepares to initiate mass production of all-solid-state batteries in the second half of 2027, its supply chain strategy and upcoming moves are rapidly becoming a major focal point in the Chinese market.

Friday 4 September 2026

China speed hits brakes as regulators tighten safety rules

The global auto industry is being jolted by "China speed," as Chinese regulators move to slow an extreme race to launch vehicles that has crossed quality and safety red lines. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and other watchdogs have launched special enforcement actions and tightened rules to prevent carmakers from sacrificing safety in the rush for speed.

Wednesday 2 September 2026

EU EV battery recycling still lacks a profitable model

The European Union is pushing to strengthen domestic second-life battery production and recycling loops, but EV battery recycling still faces a contradiction: the technology is maturing, yet a sustainable business model has not emerged.

Tuesday 1 September 2026

LG Energy Solution secures long-term US lithium supply

LG Energy Solution has signed a long-term supply agreement with Smackover Lithium for battery-grade lithium carbonate, a move that could strengthen supply chains for energy storage systems and electric vehicles at a time when global demand for critical minerals remains tight.

Monday 31 August 2026

The 72.4% dominance: China's battery lead is now a chemistry problem for South Korea

The global battery space has long been characterized by China's overwhelming dominance, leaving other established players subdued and struggling to establish a foothold in the industry for years.

Friday 28 August 2026

Regulators fast-track lithium battery M&As as China shifts from capacity expansion to consolidation

China's lithium battery industry is shifting from an era of aggressive capacity expansion toward consolidation, as regulators rapidly clear deals aimed at revitalizing existing assets and closing gaps across the supply chain. The unconditional approval of six recent transactions involving batteries, energy storage, and new-energy materials — including one cleared in just 10 days — signals that Beijing sees mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as an increasingly important tool for restructuring an industry squeezed by overcapacity and price wars.

Thursday 27 August 2026

Trump declares emergency over foreign grid equipment, likely eyeing Chinese power hardware

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on August 26 declaring a national emergency over the security of America's electrical grid. It restricts the purchase, import, and installation of certain foreign-made "bulk-power system" equipment on cybersecurity and national-security grounds.

Thursday 27 August 2026

TI's multiaxial sensor exposes the next EV inverter race: precision catches up with power density

As EV traction inverters increasingly migrate toward 800V architectures, demand for further technological upgrades designed to improve current-sensing performance has pushed the automotive supply chain into a challenging trade-off between precision and lightweight design.

Thursday 27 August 2026

Nvidia Vera Rubin drives 800VDC, lifts BBU demand

Nvidia's GPU roadmap is pushing 800VDC into the spotlight as a key next-generation breakthrough, with battery backup modules (BBUs) set to gain in both quality and volume as high-density AI factories shift toward the new power architecture.

Thursday 27 August 2026

Washington's silicon-anode bet tests whether battery innovation can break China's graphite grip

The years-long tug-of-war between the US and China has witnessed a head-on showdown over technological might, as stringent export controls and tightening restrictions continue to push the world's two largest economies into increasingly tense competition across critical technology infrastructure.

Tuesday 25 August 2026

Samsung SDI cashes out Samsung Display stake to fund battery expansion

Samsung SDI said it will sell about one-third of its stake in Samsung Display for KRW4.45 trillion (US$3.2 billion), converting part of its affiliate holding into cash as it prepares to invest in future battery businesses.

Monday 24 August 2026

German auto industry hardens stance against Chinese competition

Germany's top auto industry lobby, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), is overhauling its strategy as it hardens its stance on China. The group has said China must put forward constructive proposals, quickly stop distorting competition, and avoid using export restrictions on technologies and materials to hinder free-world trade.

Monday 24 August 2026

USITC opens cylindrical battery probe as China-Korea competition intensifies

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has opened a trade investigation into certain cylindrical batteries and related products. This case could affect battery supply chains spanning Asia, Europe, and North America. The move adds uncertainty for manufacturers, automakers, and consumers worldwide who depend on imported energy-storage components.

Friday 21 August 2026

China's new solid-state battery standards could reshape the industry

China has introduced the world's first national standards for automotive solid-state batteries, setting off market speculation that most of the country's more than 320 players may ultimately fail to meet the new bar. The rules tighten definitions, safety testing, and mass-production expectations, shifting competition from concept claims to engineering proof and industrial readiness.

Wednesday 19 August 2026

EU tightens recycled-content rules as material traceability becomes a new battery market barrier

The European Union is moving to tighten recycling requirements for rechargeable batteries, including electric vehicle batteries, industrial energy storage batteries, and automotive starting batteries.

Monday 17 August 2026

China battery makers rework costs as lithium prices fall and taxes rise

China's lithium battery industry is entering a new phase of cost restructuring as falling lithium carbonate prices, uncertain supply conditions and higher taxes squeeze manufacturers' margins, according to Chinese media reports.

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