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The solid-state battery revolution, long confined to lab settings for decades, is finally here, courtesy of QuantumScape. Investors seem impressed, with the stock up by 20 percent in today’s pre-market session.
QuantumScape is one of the leading American companies driving the commercialization of solid-state batteries. Its cell design relies on an anodeless setup, simplifying manufacturing and enabling lithium metal to form during the first charge.
The company uses a solid ceramic separator between the cathode and anode, which acts as a barrier against short circuits and dendrites—needle-like structures formed by repeated lithium deposition during charging. This design enhances safety and performance.
In mid-September, QuantumScape announced its technology was nearing commercialization. Since then, it has significantly accelerated efforts, culminating in a live demo at the IAA Mobility in Munich. In partnership with Volkswagen’s battery unit, PowerCo SE, QuantumScape showcased its solid-state batteries on a Ducati V21L race motorcycle.
The demonstration highlighted unique capabilities of QS technology, including an 844 Wh/L energy density and over 12-minute fast charging from 10% to 80% state of charge. The battery system was specifically designed by specialists at VW Group-owned Audi for QuantumScape’s solid-state cells.
This live demo underscores the potential of solid-state batteries in real-world applications, particularly on racetracks where rigorous testing is crucial.
Recently, QuantumScape announced the integration of its Cobra separator process into baseline cell production, a major milestone placing it closer to commercial production. The Cobra method produces high-throughput ceramic separators for solid-state batteries.
Meanwhile, stock bulls hope QuantumScape will partner with Lucid Group, which recently signed an agreement with Uber integrating Nuro’s Level 4 ADAS with its electric SUVs for future robotaxi deployments. Lucid has expressed interest in integrating solid-state batteries across its vehicle lineup and is open to partnerships.
With the technology now closer to commercialization, stock bulls anticipate new customer partnerships, including potentially with Lucid Group.
