battery industry

China currently supplies up to 70% of the battery-grade lithium chemicals used in Europe, and a German recycling company has opened a new plant it hopes will help cut that dependence. The company's process recovers lithium from batteries, though significant obstacles remain before it can make a real dent in imports. The project is being watched as a test case for Europe's broader push to secure homegrown supplies of critical raw materials for the electric vehicle and battery industries.

An American-developed battery technology is being pitched as a way to loosen China's dominance over the electric vehicle supply chain. China currently controls much of the world's battery production and critical mineral processing, making any credible US alternative strategically significant. Industry coverage suggests the technology could reduce Western automakers' dependence on Chinese suppliers, though questions remain over cost, scale and timelines.

Canada's arrangement with China over electric vehicles is being framed as a story that goes beyond imported cars. Beyond tariffs on Chinese-built EVs, the discussion touches on deeper ties in manufacturing, battery supply chains and investment that could shape Canada's auto sector. Observers are watching whether Ottawa will widen its approach to Chinese involvement in the country's EV industry as a whole.

A new report argues the next wave of American battery demand will come not from electric vehicles but from grid-scale storage, as utilities add batteries to balance growing amounts of wind and solar power and to stabilize an aging electricity network under rising demand from data centers. Industry watchers see this as a structural shift in where battery manufacturing and investment will flow next.

China has started mass production of a new battery developed using space technology, according to CGTN reporting framed under its energy innovation coverage. The item highlights the transfer of aerospace-derived technology into civilian energy storage, though details on the battery's chemistry, capacity or intended applications have not been made clear. The announcement fits into ongoing Chinese efforts to showcase advances in energy technology and industrial self-reliance.

Electric vehicles offering around 300 miles of range have become the industry standard, with most new models from major automakers now hitting that benchmark. The discussion now centers on whether 400 miles will become the next target, as battery technology improves and manufacturers compete to ease drivers' charging and range anxieties.

An auto industry executive has publicly admitted that most companies are struggling to develop solid-state EV batteries, calling out an uncomfortable truth in the race to commercialize the technology. Solid-state batteries promise greater range, faster charging and improved safety, but mass production has proven difficult, and the comments suggest timelines may slip further than many manufacturers have publicly acknowledged.

An electric truck driver known as the Elektrotrucker has set off on an attempt to circumnavigate the globe in a Mercedes-Benz eActros 600, the German manufacturer's long-haul electric truck. The expedition aims to demonstrate that battery-electric heavy trucks can handle long-distance, cross-continental journeys, testing charging infrastructure and range in real-world conditions far beyond normal freight routes.

Industry analysis argues that humanoid robots, rather than electric vehicles, will be the first real-world testing ground for solid-state batteries. Robots' smaller energy needs and higher tolerance for premium pricing let early solid-state cells enter use sooner, while carmakers' stricter cost, volume and safety requirements keep them waiting for the technology to mature.