In 1983, Goodenough and Thackeray developed LMO (LiMn₂O₄) based on the LCO system. With its unique spinel structure and three-dimensional lithium-ion diffusion channels, LMO delivers excellent C-rate performance, along with a simple manufacturing process and high safety. Its most critical advantage lies in the abundant reserves and extremely low cost of manganese resources, far superior to the precious metal cobalt, making it an important material for the cost reduction of lithium batteries. After four decades of industry iteration, although LMO has been replaced by ternary cathode materials in the high-end passenger vehicle power battery segment, it has long been firmly rooted in niche markets such as electric two-wheelers, power tools, and low-speed equipment thanks to its cost-effectiveness advantage. The industry as a whole exhibits a structural pattern of tight supply for high-end modified products and involution-driven competition among low-end products.

On April 25, BAIC Group, CATL, and Time Power officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The three parties will collaborate on the development of battery-swapping vehicle models, the construction of a super-swap integrated recharging network, and battery lifecycle management. BAIC Group is among the first partners to join CATL's Chocolate Super Swap sharing network. As of April 2026, CATL's Chocolate battery swap stations have cumulatively built over 1,470 stations nationwide, covering 99 cities. It is expected that by the end of 2026, the number of swap stations nationwide will exceed 3,000, with service coverage expanding to nearly 190 cities.

In its latest institutional survey, EVE disclosed that the company has built a collaborative system integrating hydrogen, lithium, and sodium multi-technology routes to reduce single dependence on lithium resources, covering diverse scenarios including AIDC, electricity ESS, and specialty vehicles. The company pioneered traceless sodium-ion battery technology, adopting self-degradable low-carbon materials to achieve recycling-free and natural decomposition throughout the battery life cycle, fulfilling the goal of zero-carbon sodium-ion batteries. In October 2025, the first large-capacity sodium-ion battery ESS was connected to grid at the Jingmen base. In December of the same year, the headquarters of EVE Sodium Energy broke ground, with a planned 2 Gwh annual capacity and expected commissioning in 2027.

According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on the 30th, Samsung SDI has filed for and is in the process of securing a patent for a composite anode material. The patent, titled “Composite anode active material and anode and lithium secondary battery including the same,” was originally filed on July 10, 2020, and was published on March 24. It covers an anode material combining graphite with an average particle size (D50) of approximately 18μm or larger, graphite of around 10μm or larger, and a silicon-carbon composite. The technology focuses on enhancing structural stability and extending battery lifespan by densely filling the electrode with graphite particles of different sizes.

Recently, Hyundai Motor Group signed a cooperation agreement with Zhejiang Huayou Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. to jointly build an EV power battery recycling system in Indonesia. The cooperation covers the recycling and reuse of battery production scrap and end-of-life batteries, aiming to achieve a closed-loop resource system across the entire battery life cycle. Background of the Cooperation As the world’s largest nickel producer, Indonesia is pushing with unprecedented determination to transform itself from a raw material exporter into a global EV battery manufacturing hub. According to the Indonesian government’s plan, by 2030 the country will achieve total EV battery capacity of 100 GWh and plan to produce about 600,000 pure EVs annually. The HLI Green Power battery plant, jointly established in Indonesia by Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, is a key part of this strategy. Located in Karawang, West Java, the plant has a total investment of $1.1 billion and began operations in 2024. It has annual capacity of 10 GWh and can supply battery cells for more than 150,000 EVs. The plant mainly supports EV models of Hyundai Motor Group in Southeast Asia, India, and other markets. However, with the rapid expansion of battery capacity, the disposal of end-of-life batteries and manufacturing scrap has become an increasingly prominent issue. The Indonesia Battery Association forecasts that by 2030 the country’s end-of-life power batteries will reach 120,000 mt. But the existing recycling system has clear shortcomings: insufficient processing capacity, lack of technical standards, and more than 70% of processing handled through informal recycling channels. In the suburbs of Jakarta, multiple open-air acid-leaching lithium workshops have even emerged, causing soil heavy metal levels to exceed EU limits by 50 times. This cooperation carries multiple implications for the development of Indonesia’s battery industry and even that of Southeast Asia as a whole: Improving the Local Industry Chain: Through the New Energy Law, the Indonesian government has designated EVs as a national strategic industry and requires foreign automakers to commit to building battery plants in Indonesia, with 40% local sourcing of parts to be achieved by 2027. The cooperation between Hyundai Motor and Huayou Recycling helps Indonesia build a complete industry chain spanning mineral extraction, battery manufacturing, and recycling. Addressing Resource Challenges: Although Indonesia is rich in nickel resources, it produces almost no cobalt, and its lithium resources depend on imports from Australia. Through battery recycling, it can partially reduce its import dependence on critical minerals and improve resource security. Attracting More Investment: The Indonesian government has introduced fiscal incentives such as zero import tariffs, exemption from luxury sales tax, and a reduction in VAT from 11% to 1%, to attract foreign investment into the battery industry. The battery recycling cooperation in Indonesia between Hyundai Motor Group and Huayou Recycling is not only a commercial move by the two enterprises, but also a reflection of the global battery industry's transition toward a circular economy. With the rapid expansion of the EV market, battery recycling has shifted from an environmental protection issue to a matter of resource strategy and economics.

On November 14 2025, Malaysia launched the region’s first electric vehicle (EV) battery passport standard, MS 2018 Similar to initiatives under the European DDP for battery industry, MS 2818 will serve as a digital record of the EV battery lifecycle, from production to disposal. It is intended to support transparency, sustainability, and traceability across the entire EV supply chain.