Solid-state batteries were a hot topic at the 2026 Two Sessions, where delegates noted that the industry is at a critical inflection point, moving from “samples” to “products.”

On March 16, Sichuan Xingkong Sodium-ion Battery Co., Ltd. and BASF officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Dazhou, Sichuan. The two parties will engage in in-depth collaboration across three key dimensions: R&D of core materials for sodium-ion batteries, coordination of the industry chain, and international product development, injecting new momentum into the technological advancement and global expansion of the sodium-ion battery sector. This partnership will focus on joint R&D of cutting-edge sodium-ion battery technologies, covering the entire material chain, including ESS parts, battery pack modules, and battery cells. Key areas of emphasis include thermal management, structural design, electrochemical performance enhancement, and material system optimization. Additionally, the collaboration aims to jointly overcome critical technical bottlenecks such as bamboo charcoal anodes and Prussian blue cathodes, driving the iteration of next-generation sodium-ion battery technologies. Simultaneously, BASF will provide Xingkong Sodium-ion Battery with high-quality raw material supplies. The two parties will also work together to develop customized energy storage solutions and establish a shared after-sales service system, accelerating the industrialisation of R&D achievements.

March 17, Tesla (TSLA) and South Korean battery giant LG Energy (850101) formally confirmed that they would jointly build an LFP battery (884309) plant in Lansing, Michigan, with an investment of $4.3 billion, to support the rapid expansion of Tesla’s (TSLA) energy storage (885921) system business. The US Department of the Interior formally confirmed the deal in a statement. Under the agreement, LG Energy (850101) will produce prismatic LFP batteries (884309) at its plant in Lansing, Michigan, US, and supply them for Tesla’s (TSLA) Megapack 3 energy storage (885921) systems. The Lansing plant is expected to begin operations in 2027. The move is intended to establish a domestic US battery supply chain and address the surge in electricity (562350) demand driven by AI (885728) data centers.

POSCO HY Clean Metal has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsui & Co. to collaborate on recycling end-of-life batteries through Hydrovolt. Under the agreement, POSCO will secure a stable supply of large volumes of black mass produced by Hydrovolt at its facility in Fredrikstad, Norway.

Ouyang Minggao pointed out that large-scale mass production of all-solid-state batteries will still require 3–5 years, with test vehicles expected to appear by the end of 2026. Sulphide electrolyte has fallen from 20 million/mt to the million-level range. However, he stressed that the technical difficulty is extremely high and advised consumers that they “need not wait,” as LFP batteries remain the “ballast stone” at present.

[Hyundai Motor Group and Huayou Cobalt Jointly Built a Power Battery Recycling System in Indonesia] Recently, Hyundai Motor Group signed a cooperation agreement with Zhejiang Huayou Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Huayou Cobalt) to jointly build an EV power battery recycling system in Indonesia. The cooperation covered the recycling and utilization of battery production scrap and end-of-life batteries, aiming to achieve a closed-loop resource system throughout the entire battery life cycle.

On the evening of March 16, Farasis Energy (Ganzhou) Co., Ltd. issued a voluntary disclosure announcement, stating that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Guangzhou Farasis Energy Technology Co., Ltd., recently received a "Designation Development Notice" from GAC Group. GAC Group has selected it as a partner for the development and supply of power batteries, with related products expected to officially commence supply in the first half of 2027. According to the announcement, the core product for this designated cooperation is a lithium iron phosphate power battery designed based on the SPS (Super Pouch Solution) large-format pouch power battery solution.

Digital Product Passports (DPP) introduced by the EU as part of regulatory of promoting sustainability, with batteries being the first products to be implemented. Battery passport collects data of lifecycle, durability, performance, and composition. These information helps manufacturing and end-of-life processes more circular, while enable consumers in making informed choices. The following batteries placed on or put into service in the EU market will be required for battery passport, starting from February 2027: Electric vehicle (EV) batteries; Light means of transport (LMT) batteries, such as e-bikes and e-scooters; Industrial batteries with a capacity above 2 kWh, such as those used in industrial activities, or energy storage.

On March 16, news emerged that Samsung SDI has signed a contract with a US energy company for the supply of energy storage batteries. The contract value is 1.5 trillion Korean Won, approximately 6.915 billion RMB. The supply is planned to occur in phases from 2026 to 2029, spanning four years. The batteries will be produced at a factory in Indiana, USA, a joint venture between SDI and Stellantis. This factory was previously dedicated to producing power batteries with an original capacity of 30GWh. Subsequently, three-quarters of its production lines were converted to produce energy storage batteries, with a planned capacity of approximately 21GWh. Production is scheduled to commence by the end of 2026.

POSCO Future M, the battery materials unit of South Korea's POSCO Holdings, announced that it had signed a supply agreement for artificial graphite anode material used in lithium-ion batteries. The contract is worth KRW 1,014,945,300,000 (approximately $675 million). The counterparty is a global automaker, and the contract term runs from October 1, 2027 to September 30, 2032.