In Q2 2026, the solid‑state battery industry reached a critical policy and standards inflection point. China’s MIIT designated all‑solid‑state batteries as a key R&D priority, and the world’s first national standard for automotive solid‑state batteries (GB/T 43568‑2026) took effect on July 1.

Honda Motor has begun producing batteries for artificial intelligence (AI) data center energy storage systems (ESS) at its Ohio facility in the US, which was originally built for electric vehicle battery production. The plant, established through a joint venture with LG Energy Solution, has shifted part of its capacity to ESS batteries following slower-than-expected EV demand. Honda said the facility will also be capable of producing hybrid vehicle batteries in the future, with output adjusted according to market demand.

L-H Battery Company, the U.S. joint venture between LG Energy Solution and Honda, announced on July 3 that it began mass production of lithium-ion battery cells for ESS at its plant in Jeffersonville, Fayette County, Ohio, on July 2 local time.

On June 30, Honda Motor announced that the planned capital structure adjustment and consolidation of Astemo, originally scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, will be postponed to the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2027, as antitrust reviews and related regulatory approvals in certain countries and regions have not yet been completed.Under the previous agreement, Honda will acquire an additional 21% stake in Astemo from Hitachi. After the transaction is completed, Astemo’s shareholding structure will be adjusted to 61% held by Honda, 19% by Hitachi, and 20% by JIC Capital, making Astemo a consolidated subsidiary of Honda. Honda said the move is aimed at accelerating Astemo’s capabilities in AI, software, and software-defined vehicles (SDVs), while strengthening the group’s overall competitiveness.

CMR Green Technologies, India’s largest non-ferrous metal recycler, is expected to make a strong stock market debut after its IPO was subscribed more than 127 times. The INR 6.31 billion (USD 66.3 million) offering attracted strong interest from institutional, non-institutional and retail investors, while grey market premiums indicate a potential listing gain of around 36%. CMR is a leading supplier of secondary aluminum products with an estimated 42-45% share of India’s automotive cast alloy market, serving customers including Maruti Suzuki, Honda Cars India, Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp. The company operates 13 recycling facilities across India and produces recycled aluminum alloys, billets and other non-ferrous metal products. Growing demand from electric vehicles, recycling initiatives and decarbonization efforts is expected to support the company’s long-term growth outlook.

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