Author name: Cornelius Karow

The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has unveiled a new battery designed for light electric commercial vehicles. The “Tectrans-II” is designed for fast charging and is intended primarily for logistics applications. According to CATL, the battery can reach an 80 percent state of charge in just 6 minutes and 48 seconds. A full charge takes eight minutes and 56 seconds. Focus on Logistics and Short Downtime The company cites slow charging, limited battery life, reduced performance in winter, and insufficient power output at charging stations as key challenges for electric light-duty logistics vehicles. The new battery is designed to address these issues. CATL backs the battery with a warranty of up to ten years or one million kilometers. This is intended to bring the battery’s lifespan closer to that of the vehicle. According to CATL, the internal resistance of the cells is only half the industry average. This is expected to generate less heat during fast charging. The company also mentions a modified graphite particle interface. This modification is intended to reduce active lithium loss and slow aging. At low temperatures, CATL cites an additional charging time of two minutes and thirty seconds at minus twenty degrees Celsius. Charging Infrastructure Remains Crucial Alongside battery development, CATL is establishing an integrated network of ultra-fast charging and battery swap stations. These so-called “Choco Stations” are designed to support both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The stations will be equipped with customized fast-charging stations featuring extended cables for microvans and light trucks, among other things. This is intended to eliminate the need for drivers to maneuver their vehicles to charge. According to CATL, the company plans to install 4,000 of these stations in nearly 190 Chinese cities this year. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/07/06/catl-unveils-tectrans-ii-battery/

With support from Samsung SDI, Forge Nano is planning to build a battery factory in Morrisville, North Carolina. The facility is expected to have an annual capacity of three gigawatt-hours and begin production in 2028. Samsung SDI will assist with construction and the launch of operations. The factory will produce both Samsung SDI and Forge Nano cell products. As part of the agreement, there is also a conditional supply contract. According to the terms of this contract, Samsung SDI will purchase battery cells from the planned facility beginning in 2028, provided the stipulated conditions are met. Additionally, Forge Nano will act as an authorized distributor of Samsung SDI cells in the U.S. market. Investment with DOE Funding Forge Nano estimates the factory’s cost at between $300 and $330 million. Of this amount, $100 million will be covered by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The facility is intended primarily to serve non-consumer automotive, industrial, and defense applications.  Samsung SDI is also working to incorporate Forge Nano’s Atomic Armor technology into future battery products. Forge Nano describes Atomic Armor as a nanoscale coating system based on atomic layer deposition technology. Source:https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/25/3317520/0/en/forge-nano-forms-landmark-strategic-partnership-with-samsung-sdi-to-enable-u-s-production-of-advanced-battery-cells.html?hss_channel=lcp-12907090

The 9th International Battery Production Conference (IBPC) has extended the deadline for submitting abstracts. Abstracts can now be submitted via the official submission page until July 10, 2026. The conference will take place on November 4 and 5, 2026, at the Steigenberger Parkhotel in Braunschweig. It will focus on technical and scientific issues related to battery production. Call for Technical Papers on Battery Production The call for abstracts is aimed at experts from research and industry who wish to present their current work on battery production. According to the organizers, topics will include next-generation battery systems, sustainable production processes, process optimization in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, recycling, and modeling and AI-supported production approaches. IBPC Returns to Braunschweig in 2026 The IBPC is organized by Innovationsgesellschaft Technische Universität Braunschweig mbH in collaboration with partners from the BLB+ network, the Technical University of Braunschweig, and Fraunhofer IST. The event is also held in cooperation with VDMA Battery Production. It is designed as an international platform for the exchange of ideas on battery production. The conference brings together stakeholders from academia, industry, and applied research. Further information is available on the International Battery Production Conference’s official website.

According to Meng Xiangfeng, vice president of CATL, the battery plant established by Ford and CATL in the U.S. was completed in June and has begun production. It is not a joint venture, but rather a licensing and service model. Ford owns the plant and CATL provides the technology for lithium iron phosphate cells, as well as support for construction and operation. Ford had originally announced in February 2023 that it would invest $3.5 billion in the Michigan plant. At that time, the planned annual capacity was 35 gigawatt-hours, intended to produce batteries for approximately 400,000 electric vehicles. However, the project was temporarily halted following political pressure. In November 2023, Ford resumed planning, reducing the investment and capacity to $2 billion and 20 gigawatt-hours, respectively. Part of Capacity intended for Energy Storage According to Caixin, the core of the LFP project with CATL remains intact. However, based on current plans, some of the capacity will be allocated to energy storage products.  In mid-June, Ford announced that the first prismatic LFP cells had undergone full-scale process testing at the plant. The cells are currently being validated according to CATL specifications. The first vehicle batteries are scheduled to be delivered later this year. They are intended for use in Ford’s affordable and midsize electric pickup models. Ford also plans to convert an existing plant to produce stationary storage systems based on CATL technology. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/06/30/ford-catl-backed-battery-plant-completed/

The Luxembourg-based nanotube specialist OCSiAl has signed a supply agreement with Volkswagen Group’s battery division, PowerCo. As part of this partnership, OCSiAl will provide PowerCo with single-walled carbon nanotubes for its Unified Cell battery platform. The materials are intended for PowerCo’s plant in Salzgitter. According to the company, the nanotubes will be used in graphite anodes. OCSiAl describes the nanotubes as conductive additives. They are designed to increase the electrical conductivity of graphite anodes and improve heat dissipation. The company cites benefits such as improved charging and discharging performance, increased safety, and a longer service life for the battery cells.  Supply from European production The shipments are planned to come from the OCSiAl plant in Serbia. This would mean that part of the procurement of critical battery materials would take place within Europe. According to OCSiAl, the site has met all quality and reliability requirements and has been audited by PowerCo. Other battery manufacturers from Europe and Asia are said to have also conducted audits. OCSiAl markets its single-walled carbon nanotubes under the TUBALL brand. The company claims to supply most European manufacturers of batteries for electric vehicles. These materials are used in both the cathode and anode systems of lithium-ion batteries. OCSiAl notes that approximately one million electric vehicles already contain its nanotubes. In November 2025, the company announced plans to build a graphene nanotube plant in Luxembourg. The investment is expected to total 300 million U.S. dollars. Source:https://ocsial.com/de/news/ocsial-to-supply-single-wall-carbon-nanotubes-to-powercos-salzgitter-facility/