Battery Production

The Chinese battery manufacturer Svolt Energy aims to begin mass production of semi-solid-state batteries by September of this year. According to the company, the cost is expected to be comparable to that of conventional lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes. Several vehicle models are set to be equipped with the new cells by the end of September. One variant scheduled to enter mass production will reportedly have a capacity of 100 kilowatt-hours. This information comes from Yang Hongxin, Svolt’s chairman and CEO. In a video posted on Weibo, he explained that a key focus of the cells is high operational safety. Interim Solution Before Solid-State Batteries Semi-solid-state batteries use both liquid and solid electrolytes to transport ions between the cathode and anode. This technology is considered an intermediate step on the path to solid-state batteries, which operate exclusively with solid electrolytes. Commercializing the latter is still considered difficult. Yang described the path to mass production as long. Other major battery manufacturers are also continuing to work on all-solid-state batteries. According to reports, CATL and BYD are initially aiming for small-scale production by 2027. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/05/19/svolt-plans-mass-produce-hybrid-solid-liquid-batteries-september-liquid-battery-costs/

The newly established Ford Energy and EDF Power Solutions North America have signed a five-year framework agreement for battery storage systems. Under the agreement, EDF can purchase up to 4 GWh of DC-block systems from Ford Energy each year. Over the entire term, this represents a potential volume of up to 20 GWh. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2028. Ford Repurposes Previous EV Battery Plans The adoption of electric vehicles is proceeding more slowly than many manufacturers expected, particularly in the U.S. Consequently, automakers are increasingly planning to use infrastructure originally intended for EV batteries for stationary energy storage.  Ford had already announced plans to launch its energy storage business in December 2025. That announcement followed a $19.5 billion write-down on its electric vehicle programs. The company cited weaker-than-expected demand, high costs, and regulatory changes as the reasons for the write-down. At that time, Ford announced that it would repurpose its existing battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale, Kentucky, for the battery storage systems market. The establishment of the subsidiary Ford Energy was formalized this month. As part of the announcement, Ford stated its intention to provide at least 20 GWh annually. The “Ford Energy DC Block” is a 20-foot containerized battery storage system. According to the company, each unit has a capacity of 5.45 MWh. It uses prismatic LFP cells with a capacity of 512 Ah. Variants with two- or four-hour discharge times are available. Sources:https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/ford-energy-edf-power-solutions-north-americahttps://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2026/introducing-ford-energyhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251215095165/en/Ford-Follows-Customers-to-Drive-Profitable-Growth-Reinvests-in-Trucks-Hybrids-Affordable-EVs-Battery-Storage-Takes-EV-Related-Charges

The Chinese battery manufacturer Eve Energy received an order for 8 GWh of energy storage batteries from India. Their contract partner is the energy company Godawari New Energy Private Limited.  Additionally, the two companies are planning a long-term partnership. Consequently, the total volume of the partnership could rise to 60 GWh over the next five years. India Gains Importance for Energy Storage Eve Energy describes India as one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for new energy technologies. As the share of renewable energy increases, so does the need for grid stability and solutions for frequency and load management. The planned project will use 628-Ah energy storage batteries. These batteries are tailored for high safety standards and easy integration into energy storage systems, helping to reduce costs over the projects’ entire lifecycle.  In collaboration with GNEPL, Eve Energy aims to accelerate the expansion of energy storage projects in India and support the transition of the local energy supply. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/05/12/eve-energy-secures-8-gwh-energy-storage-order-from-india-gnepl/

Tesla plans to significantly expand battery cell production at its Grünheide facility near Berlin. According to the company, an additional $250 million will be invested to increase annual cell capacity to 18 gigawatt-hours. This more than doubles Tesla’s previous target of 8 gigawatt-hours, which was announced in December. As part of that announcement, Tesla had already promised to invest nearly one billion euros in the factory. The company says the expansion will also increase staffing needs. Tesla expects to have more than 1,500 employees in battery cell production alone. Tesla currently employs around 11,000 people in Grünheide. The plant is Tesla’s only Gigafactory in Europe. Nevertheless, battery cell production in Grünheide remains well below Elon Musk’s original plans. In 2020, Tesla announced plans to build the world’s largest battery cell factory in Berlin, with an initial annual capacity of 100 gigawatt-hours. A later expansion to up to 250 gigawatt-hours was also envisioned. However, the company halted these plans in 2022 after U.S. subsidy programs became more attractive. Greater Integration Planned Tesla is linking the expansion of cell production with greater vertical integration at the site. According to Tesla, battery cells and vehicles will be produced entirely in Grünheide starting in 2027. Tesla argues that this will increase the stability of European supply chains. At the same time, however, the company acknowledges the challenging economic landscape for cell production in Europe. Tesla claims that, in international competition with China and the U.S., the manufacture of battery cells is currently hardly economically viable. Sources:https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-invest-250-million-battery-plant-outside-berlin-2026-05-12/https://eletric-vehicles.com/tesla/tesla-more-than-doubles-berlin-battery-cell-output-target-to-18-gwh

As part of its strategic realignment, the German automaker Porsche AG plans to close several of its subsidiaries. This decision will include Cellforce Group GmbH in Kirchentellinsfurt. According to the company, Cellforce lacks “sufficiently viable prospects” within the context of Porsche’s future direction. Management is set to begin discussions with the works council regarding the closure. The closure will affect approximately 50 employees. Porsche cites a stronger focus on its core business as the reason for the decision. The Executive and Supervisory Boards have reportedly approved far-reaching measures to this end. In total, more than 500 jobs are expected to be cut across various subsidiaries. Porsche previously announced the sale of its stakes in Bugatti Rimac and the Rimac Group. Cellforce Loses Strategic Significance The Cellforce Group was considered a cornerstone of Porsche’s activities in the high-performance battery sector. However, Porsche now states that the subsidiary no longer has sufficient future prospects within the framework of a “technology-neutral” powertrain strategy. For the Kirchentellinsfurt site, this likely means the end of its current operations. E-bike and Software Subsidiaries Also Affected In addition to Cellforce, Porsche eBike Performance GmbH and Cetitec GmbH are set to be discontinued. The e-bike subsidiary developed and marketed drive systems. Cetitec GmbH developed software for data communication within the Volkswagen Group. Source:https://newsroom.porsche.com/de/2026/unternehmen/porsche-fokussierung-kerngeschaeft-42439.html

The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL plans to significantly increase its production capacity for sodium-ion batteries. According to a document released by environmental authorities in Ningde, China’s Fujian Province, annual production capacity is set to increase by 40 GWh. To this end, CATL intends to invest approximately 5 billion yuan, equivalent to around 735 million US dollars. The project will be implemented by CATL’s subsidiary, Fuding Shidai, and will operate independently of existing plants. Construction is expected to take 24 months. Plans include new facilities for battery cells, electrodes, capacity testing and modules, as well as additional infrastructure. Upon completion of the sixth expansion phase, the total planned capacity of the Fuding Shidai site is expected to reach 149 GWh. Major Order Accelerates Expansion of Sodium Technology This expansion follows a significant order in the stationary energy storage sector. At the end of April, CATL entered into a strategic partnership with the Chinese energy storage provider HyperStrong. This includes a supply contract for 60 GWh of sodium-ion batteries for energy storage over three years. According to CATL, this is the largest sodium battery order worldwide to date. CATL has been investing in the development of sodium-ion batteries for several years. Official figures show that research and development expenditure will total almost 10 billion yuan by the end of 2025. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/05/09/catl-plans-40-gwh-sodium-battery-capacity-expansion/

The Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has signed a significant agreement to supply sodium-ion batteries. Its partner is the Chinese energy storage provider HyperStrong. According to a company statement, the contract covers a volume of 60 gigawatt-hours over a three-year period. Currently, this is the largest known order for sodium-ion batteries. Major Order Signals Market Growth With this agreement, CATL is positioning itself in the growing stationary energy storage market. The company claims to have overcome technical challenges throughout the production chain, enabling large-scale deliveries. CATL reports that it has invested approximately 10 billion yuan (just under 1.5 billion USD) in sodium-ion technology development since 2016. The goal is to establish sodium-ion technology as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, particularly for applications requiring longer storage durations. The current generation of cells uses a platform design identical in dimensions to lithium-ion cells. This is intended to reduce adaptation costs. CATL expects sodium-ion batteries to achieve a 30- to 40-percent market share in the long term. Source:https://cnevpost.com/2026/04/27/catl-secures-worlds-largest-sodium-ion-battery-order/

The South Korean battery manufacturer Samsung SDI has signed a multi-year supply agreement with Mercedes-Benz. Under the agreement, Samsung SDI will supply batteries for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles. According to Samsung SDI, this is the first such agreement between the two companies. No details regarding quantities or financial terms were disclosed. Focus on High-Nickel Batteries The agreement covers high-performance nickel-cobalt-manganese batteries with a high nickel content. Mercedes-Benz plans to use these batteries in future compact and mid-size electric SUVs, as well as coupé models.  Beyond the supply agreement, both companies intend to expand their cooperation. They plan to jointly develop new battery technologies. Specific projects or technical approaches were not disclosed. Samsung SDI views the contract as a step towards strengthening its market position in the global competition for electric vehicle batteries. Source:https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4842.html?pageIndex=1&pagesize=15&idx=4842

European battery production is growing—and with it, the complexity of manufacturing. Different machines, proprietary interfaces, and isolated data silos still make it difficult in many places to gain a comprehensive view of processes. In this context, industry associations and technology organizations are driving the development of common information models. The OPC UA communication standard plays a central role in this effort. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the VDMA, and the OPC Foundation are working together to establish standardized data models for battery manufacturing. A common language for machines The initiative aims to ensure compatibility between machines and systems from different manufacturers through standardized information models. The foundation for this is provided by OPC UA Companion Specifications—industry-specific extensions of the established standard. They are designed to create a shared semantic foundation: data from various process steps is described uniformly, making it easier to exchange and evaluate. This is particularly relevant in battery manufacturing. The process chain ranges from material preparation to formation—with high demands on precision, quality assurance, and traceability. Starting with cell manufacturing Current work is initially focused on cell manufacturing. Specifications are currently being developed here for key process steps such as coating, calendering, winding, and electrolyte filling. The project also has political backing: The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space is funding related work through the ENLARGE project (grant number 03XP0539). From a technical perspective, the new models build on existing standards, particularly “OPC UA for Machinery.” The goal is not to create another isolated solution, but to integrate into existing industrial architectures. What the standard is intended to achieve According to the organizations involved, the benefits are clear: Standardized data structures are also a key prerequisite for digital applications—such as predictive maintenance or seamless quality analysis. Challenges ahead Despite this progress, broad adoption remains a long-term goal. In practice, new standards encounter an existing installed base that has often grown over many years. The introduction of uniform information models therefore entails not only technical adjustments but also investments and organizational changes. Furthermore, the question remains as to how consistently different market participants will actually implement the standards. Another point: The Companion Specifications deliberately define only a common core; to foster broad acceptance, many elements are optional and allow for flexibility. However, this can also lead to actual interoperability falling short of expectations in practice. Outlook: What comes next? The initiative highlights the growing need for common data models in battery production. At the same time, it becomes clear that standardization does not drive itself. The current specifications are nearing release candidate status. This gives industry representatives the opportunity to provide feedback before the models are finalized. However, this marks only the beginning of the decisive phase: practical implementation. Only in real-world use will it become clear whether a common data model will actually become a common language for battery production. Based on information from the Joint Working Group of VDA, VDMA, and the OPC Foundation. Sources & Data:https://www.vdma.eu/de/viewer/-/v2article/render/140299457https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213846325001865https://www.mikrodev.com/opc-ua-and-mqtt-in-industrial-communication-integration-in-brownfield-factories/https://www.industry40.tv/blog-post/opc-ua-base-information-model-and-companion-specifications-explained