At IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, Volkswagen and PowerCo have unveiled the production version of their new prismatic “Unified Cell”. It will first be used in the “Electric Urban Car Family” from Volkswagen, ŠKODA, and CUPRA. According to PowerCo, the cell achieves an energy density of around 660 watt-hours per liter, an increase of about ten percent compared to previous batteries. The newly developed system relies on cell-to-pack technology, eliminating the need for battery modules. According to Volkswagenʼs forecasts, the cell will enable ranges of up to 450 kilometers and charging times of less than 25 minutes in Electric Urban Car Family vehicles.
Manufacturing to begin in late 2025
Production will begin at the Salzgitter gigafactory at the end of 2025, with production also planned for later in Valencia, Spain, and St. Thomas, Canada. Volkswagen emphasizes that the new cell significantly reduces costs. The standard cell is expected to account for up to 80 percent of the Groupʼs electric vehicles in the future. Volkswagen claims the cell can be equipped with various chemistries – including LFP, NMC, and solid state later on.
Test vehicle with solid-state technology
At the same time, Volkswagen is testing the solid-state battery. At IAA Mobility 2025, the Group presented an electric motorcycle based on a Ducati V21L, developed in collaboration with Audi and PowerCo. The solid-state cells are supplied by partner company QuantumScape. The prototypeʼs battery system is designed for up to 980 QSE-5 cells, which are based on a lithium metal anode and a ceramic separator. The company highlights advantages such as higher energy density, improved fast-charging capability as well as increased safety and service life.
Aiming for marketable solution by 2030
Currently, however, the state of development does not allow for series production. According to Volkswagen, the test vehicle is an intermediate step between laboratory research and industrial implementation. In the coming months, a race-ready motorcycle will be built for further testing. Meanwhile, preparations are underway to integrate solid-state technology into the PowerCo unit cell. The goal is to have a marketable solution by the end of the decade.
