March Newsletter 2025
- Battery Associates
- May 9
- 9 min read
Dear battery enthusiast,
Welcome to Battery Associates’ February newsletter. We have summarised some of the month’s most relevant news, highlighting recent developments and updates in the battery space.
B.A's Battery Newsletter:
Battery Industry Highlights
BA Exclusive Summary: Exploring the Potential of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
Company Member News
Register for BatteryMBA, next cohort starts 5th May’25!
Looking for Sponsors for Battery Day 2025!
New Battery Insiders Podcast
Battery Associates’ Events & Updates
Battery Industry Highlights
In this section, we summarise relevant battery news from the past month.
On March 14, 2025, Samsung SDI unveiled a major capital initiative with plans to raise KRW 2 trillion (approx. $1.38 billion) through a rights offering, as approved by its Board of Directors on March 14, 2025. This move is aimed at reinforcing the company’s long-term competitiveness and supporting strategic investments across global markets. Key Investment Areas Include:
Joint Venture with General Motors - Funding will support the EV battery joint venture, enhancing Samsung SDI’s footprint in the U.S. electric vehicle market.
Hungarian Production Expansion - Significant capital will be directed toward scaling operations at its European manufacturing site, responding to growing regional demand.
All Solid-State Battery (ASSB) Development in Korea - The rights issue will also support the development of next-generation ASSB production lines, aligning with the industry's shift toward advanced battery technologies.
B.A Commentary: This strategic move is part of Samsung SDI's proactive approach to secure financial resources for new investments and to maintain a stable financial structure, positioning the company for leadership in the anticipated market recovery. CEO Joo Sun Choi emphasised the importance of this initiative, stating the company's commitment to overcoming current market slowdowns by bolstering technological competitiveness, expanding sales and orders, and innovating cost structures in preparation for the forthcoming supercycle.
On March 03, 2025, Clarios is investing $6 billion in a strategic plan to boost U.S. manufacturing, innovation, and critical mineral independence. Key initiatives include:
Advanced Battery Production ($2.5B): Expanding production of advanced low-critical mineral batteries, like Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries, to reduce imports and create U.S. jobs.
Critical Minerals Recovery ($1.9B): Enhancing battery recycling to recover materials like antimony and tin, supporting a circular economy and reducing foreign reliance.
Next-Gen Technologies ($1B): Developing energy storage for AI/data centers, supercapacitors, sodium-ion batteries, and AI-powered efficiency tools.
Modern Manufacturing ($600M): Upgrading Clarios facilities with world-class technology to maintain global leadership in starter battery production.
B.A Commentary: Through 2035, Clarios plans to launch strategic initiatives aimed at improving U.S. manufacturing, spurring innovation, and strengthening the nation's critical minerals supply chain. These initiatives encompass advanced battery production, critical minerals processing and recovery, development of next-generation technologies, and modernisation of manufacturing facilities. On October 9, 2024, Clarios announced a joint venture agreement with Altris, a sodium battery manufacturer in Europe.
On March 31, 2025, Samsung SDI initiated production of its 46-series cylindrical batteries, specifically the 4695 model, which measures 46mm in diameter and 95mm in height. These batteries are manufactured at Samsung SDI’s Cheonan plant in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea, and assembled into modules at its Vietnam subsidiary. The initial supply will be delivered to a U.S. customer for micro-mobility applications. The 46-series features a high-nickel NCA (Nickel, Cobalt, Aluminum) cathode and a proprietary SCN (Silicon Carbon Nanocomposite) anode. With approximately six times the energy capacity of the previous 21700 cells (21mm x 70mm), the new format allows customers to use fewer cells to achieve the same capacity. |
B.A Commentary: According to market researcher SNE Research, the global market for 46-series cylindrical batteries is projected to grow from 155 GWh in 2025 to 650 GWh by 2030, reflecting an annual growth rate of 33%. Samsung SDI unveiled its 46-series lineup—comprising four sizes (4680, 4695, 46100, and 46120)—at InterBattery 2025, Korea’s largest battery trade show, earlier this month. The company announced that it will begin mass production within the first quarter of 2025.
On April 6, 2025, Pulsetrain secured €6.1 million in funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its proprietary powertrain technology, which is designed to enhance the performance and lifespan of EV batteries. The company's technology reportedly minimises thermal risks and extends battery lifespan by up to 80%, equivalent to 18 years instead of the standard 10 years. The investment round was led by international investors, Vsquared Ventures and Planet A, with additional participation from Climate Club. Initially, Pulsetrain is targeting the electrification of two-wheelers and commercial vehicles and plans to expand into other sectors, including automotive, aviation, agriculture, and shipping.
B.A Commentary: Unlike traditional systems that treat components separately, Pulsetrain claims it integrates the Battery Management System (BMS), inverter, and charging electronics into a unified "In-Battery" solution. Central to this technology is a multilevel inverter that optimises energy use through advanced hardware and software integration, potentially extending battery lifespan by up to 80%. Furthermore, Pulsetrain leverages AI for real-time data analysis, enhancing fleet management, intelligent charging, and bi-directional grid integration.
On 05 April, 2025, Berlin-based Theion secured €15 million in Series A funding to commercialise its lithium-sulfur battery technology, which uses crystalline sulfur for higher energy density and reduced costs. Theion claims its cells deliver three times the range and significantly lower weight than conventional lithium-ion batteries. The funding will scale production and support partnerships across aerospace, mobility, and stationary storage.
B.A Commentary: Highlights from our Battery Insiders podcast with the CEO of Theion, Dr. Ulrich Ehmes, are summarised here. Theion’s lithium-sulfur battery technology targets an exceptional 1,000 Wh/kg energy density, which is more than double that of conventional lithium-ion cells, while slashing costs to €40/kWh. By leveraging abundant, ultra-low-cost sulfur (€0.20/kg vs. €20/kg for NMC cathodes), which is a byproduct of oil refining, Theion eliminates dependency on critical minerals like nickel and cobalt and claims to dramatically reduce environmental impact, cutting CO₂ emissions by two-thirds. With a simplified, energy-efficient manufacturing process, it retains 80% compatibility with existing lithium-ion production lines. You can watch the podcast here.
BA Exclusive Summary
Exploring the Potential of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Advantages, Challenges, and Cost-Effectiveness
Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries offer significant advantages in terms of energy density and material costs compared to conventional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, they face challenges in the cycle life and production scalability. Currently, commercial NMC 811 battery cells have an energy density ranging from 270 to 300 Wh/kg. In contrast, the theoretical capacity of Li-S batteries is very high, around 2700 Wh/kg, although prototypes and near-commercial cells are achieving around 400 to 500 Wh/kg.
Besides energy density, Li-S batteries are primarily valued for their immense cost-saving potential. The sulfur material used for the cathode in these batteries costs around $0.20 per kg compared to $20 to $25 per kg for commercial NMC 811 cathodes. This price difference means that sulfur costs about 1% compared to the cathodes used in NMC 811 cells, potentially reducing the material cost of batteries by 70%, compared to standard NMC 811 cells. Some experts forecast that on commercial production, Li-S batteries can be produced at $40 per kWh. With optimal vertical integration strategies, the production cost could be even lower than the $40/kWh mark.
Regarding other parameters, such as cycle life, Li-S batteries have limitations. The average expected cycle life of Li-S batteries is around 1000 cycles, whereas commercial Li-ion batteries, both NMC and LFP types, have longer life cycles, exceeding 1000 cycles.
Currently, a major challenge for lithium-sulfur batteries is creating stable materials to ensure a robust cycle life, with expectations to reach 1000 cycles at a commercial scale while managing volume expansion issues in their cell architecture. Most Li-S batteries use silicon-rich graphite or lithium metal as their anode materials. To know more about Lithium sulfur technologies, please watch our podcast episodes with Theion and Lyten experts.
Company Member News
Industries Excellence
The battery industry is evolving fast — and so must the way we design, build, and deliver. This whitepaper, “The Digital Thread for Battery eXcellence”, explores how end-to-end digitalization is transforming the battery value chain. Learn how Digital Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and the Digital Twin come together to boost efficiency & traceability and ensure regulatory compliance.
ThermoFisher Scientific
Integrating XRF technology into the battery QC process to determine elemental composition allows manufacturers to achieve consistent composition and reduce batch-to-batch variations during electrode production.
Our recent webinar highlighted how XRF analysis can identify and quantify both major and trace elements in powder samples, allowing battery manufacturers to monitor and regulate impurity levels and ensure the quality and performance of anode and cathode materials. Watch now on demand to learn more.
Register for the BatteryMBA May 2025 Cohort |
BatteryMBA’s next cohort starts on 5th May 2025, which will offer a combination of in-depth technical and business knowledge on a range of battery topics aligned with the sector's dynamic growth.
BatteryMBA alumni have affiliations with CATL, Tesla, Volkswagen, AESC, Panasonic, Airbus, BASF, Siemens, European Parliament, and many more.
The course includes a battery-focused case study track (with case studies from leading business schools). If you have any queries, reach out to us via email at info@battery.mba. Need-based partial scholarships and group discounts are available.
Looking for Sponsors for Battery Day 2025!
Battery Day 2025 will be held on Thursday, 25th September 2025, bringing together industry leaders for discussions on key battery innovations. Last year, the event featured 6 panel discussions, 8 deep dives, and 4 keynotes, attracting 1000+ registrants from over 55 countries.
As a sponsor, you’ll enjoy benefits like prominent logo placement on our website and marketing materials, a dedicated email to registrants, and social media mentions. We’re also happy to explore custom sponsorship options to suit your needs.
Our three major themes for Battery Day 2025 are:
Battery energy storage systems (BESS)
Next-generation batteries and battery innovations
Manufacturing, gigafactories and cost reduction strategies
Please get in touch with Clara today to enquire about sponsorship packages at clara.leepaget@battery.associates.
Battery Insiders Podcast
Battery Associates runs a podcast called Battery Insiders, which covers the role of batteries for sustainable development and battery-relevant topics featuring a range of battery experts and enthusiasts.
Talk on: Advancing Renewable Integration with Innovative Battery Technologies
Speaker: Lord Adair Turner, the chair of the Energy Transitions Commission
Session Summary: In this episode of the Battery Insiders Podcast, Dr Simon Engelke speaks with Lord Adair Turner about the transformative role of battery technology in achieving net-zero emissions.
They discuss the rapid decline in battery costs, the importance of long-duration storage solutions, the challenges and opportunities in electric vehicle integration, regulatory hurdles, investment landscapes, and the global perspectives on energy transition.
The conversation highlights the unstoppable momentum towards a sustainable energy future driven by innovation and collaboration.
Battery Associates’ Events & Updates
Future of the Car
13 - 15 May 2025
The global gathering for the automotive industry
In-Person & Digital | London
The 2025 FT Future of the Car Summit will convene the most influential players in the global automotive sector in London, for three days of news-making keynote interviews, lively sessions and unmissable networking opportunities. The programme will equip leaders and innovators in the automotive industry with the knowledge and networks necessary to steer their organisations towards a sustainable and technologically progressive future.
Hear from CEOs and C-suites from companies such as Polestar, Volkswagen, INEOS Automotive, Stellantis, Porsche, Bentley and many more.
Register now and receive 20% off your pass with BATTERY or download the official event brochure to discover the full agenda, networking opportunities and list of confirmed speakers.
The Battery Show Europe
3 - 5 June 2025
In-Person | Stuttgart
Get ready to meet 1,100+ industry leading suppliers at The Battery Show Europe, Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo Europe and Energy Storage Summit Germany, the largest European tradeshow and conference focused on the latest developments in the clean energy storage sector, covering the full supply chain from upstream to downstream featuring the latest ground breaking technologies in Europe’s advanced battery, H/EV technology and energy storage industry. Join 21,000+ fellow engineers, executives, thought leaders, professionals and decision-makers at the Messe Stuttgart, Germany on 3-5th June, 2025 for three electrifying days, filled with opportunities to source the latest technologies, develop your industry knowledge of key topics and network with like-minded peers. Register here and get an exclusive 20% discount on conference passes or a FREE expo pass using code BTS20!
Battery Associates services
Battery Associates offers consultancy, innovation, and education services on a wide range of topics. Please get in touch if you're interested in any of our services!
About Battery Associates
Battery Associates (B.A) is a community-driven company on a mission to accelerate sustainable battery innovation - join us!
B.A operates as a global network that unites battery experts (BatteryPRO), a platform for innovative projects (BatteryLAB), and a facilitator of training programmes for aspiring battery leaders (BatteryEDU). B.A's educational programmes notably includes BatteryMBA, a 12-week programme training aspiring battery leaders.
We are rapidly becoming a reference community for battery enthusiasts who want to tackle pressing environmental and energy-related challenges. Battery Associates currently unites battery experts working across the battery value supply chain, based in over 20 countries. We're growing, join us in our work!
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