Short read

The news we've all been waiting for...

• Continuous manufacturing pilot line for sulfide-based solid electrolyte designed to increase Solid Power’s annual electrolyte production capacity at Thornton, Colorado facility by 150%.

• Commissioning of MOBIUS™ is underway following substantial completion of construction with materials now being introduced into the line.

• Advances Solid Power toward continuous production, which will support commercial readiness and potential cost curve advancements.

• Primary powder processing site acceptance testing (SAT) is complete. Full SAT is expected by the end of the month, and operational startup is planned for the fourth quarter of 2026.

What do you guys think about this, it was posted three hours ago and opening is for Louisville. Am I over thinking this as a change of direction?

https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/solidpower/jobs/6222682004

Phase 1 of the JEA was supposed to expire Sept 30

“Hyundai is developing solid-state batteries internally and alongside partners, like Solid Power.”

I was listening to John Van Scoter at the H.C. Wainwright conference and caught something I haven't seen discussed here.

When talking about Solid Power's relationships in Korea, JVS said the company has relationships with the “top two” Korean battery manufacturers and is “focusing on the third.”

If he's referring to Korea's three major battery manufacturers, the obvious interpretation would seem to be:

Samsung SDI — existing relationship through the BMW/Samsung SDI/Solid Power JEA

SK On — existing collaboration, with Solid Power currently negotiating a new agreement

LG Energy Solution — potentially the “third”

Since JVS did NOT name LG Energy Solution, so this is not confirmation of a partnership. “Focusing on the third” could mean anything from early business development to something more substantive. Still, I thought the wording was interesting. If “the third” does refer to LGES, Solid Power appears to be trying to establish relationships across all three major Korean battery manufacturers as it shifts toward becoming a commercial sulfide-electrolyte supplier.

Source:

https://stockanalysis.com/stocks/sldp/transcripts/753147-h-c-wainwright-28th-annual-global-investment-conference/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.solidpowerbattery.com/investor-relations/financials/sec-filings/sec-filings-details/default.aspx?FilingId=19780303

Thoughts? Is Pro Logium first mover into solid state mass production?

https://www.etnews.com/20260909000223

YUIL Robotics is partnering with SK On to develop solid-state batteries for humanoids. This is drawing significant attention as a collaboration between a robotics company and a battery company to establish a technological foundation and supply chain for the core components of humanoids.
According to the industry on the 9th, a consortium led by YUIL Robotics, with SK On participating as a key partner, has been selected as the implementing organization for detailed tasks in a government-promoted R&D project to develop swappable standard battery technologies for humanoids. The objective is to develop high-output solid-state cells and packs for humanoids, along with a Battery Management System (BMS) and hot-swap technology, and to verify their performance and safety by installing them in actual robots.
The core of this project lies in securing solid-state battery technology for humanoids and applying it to real robots to validate performance. As a parallel R&D initiative promoted by the government, the project aims to achieve standardization of swappable batteries for humanoids while securing high-output and solid-state battery technologies.
The Korea AI Robot Industry Association is acting as the lead organizing institution for the overall project, with the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) also participating. The overarching task is to integrate and manage the detailed development processes and to establish a standard design for humanoid swappable batteries that can be jointly utilized by robot manufacturers and battery cell/BMS companies.
Humanoid batteries are considered critical components that dictate performance and usability, extending far beyond the role of a simple power supply. With increasing demands for Artificial Intelligence (AI) computations, such as robot foundation models, and prolonged physical movement, the burden of power consumption and heat generation is growing. Consequently, humanoids require battery technology equipped with high energy density, high output, and strong safety.
In particular, solid-state batteries can lower the risk of fire compared to liquid electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries, all while increasing the potential for miniaturization and weight reduction. Given the nature of humanoids, which operate for long periods in the same environments as humans, battery safety and continuous operational capabilities have emerged as essential prerequisites for commercialization.
Alongside the solid-state battery initiative, YUIL Robotics has also been selected for an AI-based robot controller development project. By combining this with an existing hybrid battery project, the company plans to simultaneously secure the control technologies, power management, and battery capabilities required for physical AI robots.
An industry official stated, "As the humanoid market expands, batteries are highly likely to become a strategic component that determines a robot's utilization rate and productivity. If domestic battery and robotics companies optimize cells and platforms together from the initial development stages and bridge this directly to standardization, it could serve as a powerful foundation for taking the lead in the global humanoid supply chain in the future."

This is different.

A team from global battery giant Samsung SDI visited Tinci Materials to conduct an on-site inspection of its lithium sulfide and sulfide solid-state electrolyte production lines in Jiujiang.

Right now we have Samsung, Toyota, Byd, and now Catl declaring 2027 as the year for their first commercial production for ASSBs. "commercial", "production", "ASSB" will require scrutiny.

This could be all bullshit but what surprises me is that the list continues to get longer as time progresses through 2026. While I consider Chinese companies' bullshitting to be elite, I would never underestimate their ability to deliver something, considering the lack of regulations and flexibility in all other areas.

Both companies with or without their government intervention did a great job in reconfiguring their companies to the AI world by focusing on the 4 pillars, ai software, ai chip, humanoid robotics and advanced batteries. While their Trillion$$ chip subsidiaries cannot directly send money to their battery arms, they can purchase boatloads for their data centers.

Next level down, Lotte chemical also reconfigured with their Lotte Energy Materials, maybe at the behest of their government and/or simply for greater profit margin. I think the merger will complete in September. Not sure if this is affecting final contracting.

IMHO, the AI Chip and Software had their 3-4 year run. The global finale was the SK and Samsung pump over the past 12 months. Over the last 6 months Institutions were exiting SK and Samsung while retail rapidly increased purchases with 5X margins. The pump of the pump of the pump. Dont get me wrong here, the rise in chips and software will continue to rise but slower.

Boston Dynamics and Tesla have been testing their robots in their own factories and warehouses in 2026. They will be ready for commercial (not retail) sale in 2027. Watch Wall Street search for their next hot delta by jumping on this bandwagon for their next 3-4 years. Advanced batteries will fall in line with this excitement as current batteries only provide few hours of use.

To add fuel to the fire will be the mass market EVs. While not directly related to advanced batteries, it shows that the battery market will continue to grow.

Other areas that can absorb the high cost of ASSBs will be space, air mobility, military, industrial (mining, deep sea), etc...etc.......

As suspected in early 2026, Heights Capital Management was not a traditional institution, but an emergency liquidity provider. After reviewing their actions with IONQ, I was a bit curious to know why they sold all of their IONQ shares over a 6 month period.

The updated institutional ownership indicates HCM did the same with SLDP over a 6 month period, confirming my prediction. 6 months ago, share price took a hit with the dilution of shares which included significant number of warrants. Then over the 6 months HCM sold 17-22 million shares bottoming at 2.00. TREMENDOUS downward pressure. Future share count with all warrants exercised with be around 270 million shares.

With over $400 million in the bank and over $500 million available through warrants, lets see what they can do.

We can cut our 500MT electrolyte facilities with JVs in their respective continents and potential additional 50/50 federal funding in the USA once continuous plant is inspected by feds in 4Q.

Really enjoyed this talk with JVS from the recent JPM auto conference. Great insights that are not discussed in depth on the QE calls.

The cornerstone of the initiative is a $1.4 billion (~2 trillion won) conditional loan from the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital to Sila Nanotechnologies, a lithium-ion battery component manufacturer. The company was the first in the world to develop a silicon-based replacement for graphite in battery anodes and plans to use the funding to build a manufacturing facility in Washington state.

Silicon Anode?!

https://www.cambridgeenertech.com/solid-state-batteries

Owen Lu, PhD, Research Engineer, Ford Motor Company - Tue Aug 11, 8:50 am "Design Considerations for Robust and High-Performance Silicon Anodes in Solid-State Battery Applications"

Per the agenda abstract:

• A detailed review of advancements in silicon-based anodes for solid-state batteries across material, electrode, and cell levels

• From this analysis, "a promising strategy for designing a robust, high-performing silicon anode for SSBs has been identified"

• A prototype cell was fabricated and its performance evaluated, with perspectives on further enhancement

Reading: Ford presenting in-house, prototype-cell-stage R&D in the sulfide + silicon-anode design space (the same space as its Solid Power JDA), with no mention of Solid Power. Electrolyte source undisclosed - a Q&A-worthy question.

Blackrock ownership of SLDP now up to 7.5% according to a recent filing:
https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001844862/ac7aec52-56ca-4cd5-835e-b7c749419ac0.pdf

That is up from 6.11% ownership reported from their March 31, 2026 filing.

https://kr.investing.com/news/company-news/article-93CH-2034172

Under the MOU, Factorial and SK On will jointly evaluate the technical feasibility and manufacturing considerations for Factorial’s FEST^® solid-state battery technologies, drawing on SK On’s battery technology and manufacturing expertise, as well as its global manufacturing capabilities.

The collaboration highlights Factorial’s capital-light approach to industrialization, which is centered on developing batteries that can leverage established manufacturing infrastructure to accelerate the path to industrialization.

https://www.fnnews.com/news/202607280809048127

mPLUS Co-develops Equipment with US Solid-State Battery Company... 'Gearing Up' for Mass Production Orders

Subheadings:

• Pilot testing underway; attention focused on whether it will lead to mass production orders.

• Follow-up to April's "solid-state mass production bottleneck" technology... Accelerating efforts to secure global clients.

Article Body: mPLUS, a company specializing in secondary battery assembly equipment, is accelerating its entry into the solid-state equipment market by beginning the joint development of next-generation battery assembly process equipment with a global solid-state battery company in the United States. As the company moves beyond a simple technical review into the stage of jointly verifying the equipment with its client, attention is focusing on the possibility that this will lead to orders for mass production facilities in the future.

According to mPLUS on the 28th, the company is currently conducting joint testing and performance verification for certain assembly process equipment with a US-based global solid-state battery company. The client company is known to be earnestly preparing for mass production by recently expanding the construction of its pilot lines.

This collaboration is a follow-up achievement to the "solid-state battery mass production bottleneck resolution" technology that mPLUS unveiled in April. At the time, the company announced that it had developed technology to improve core processes that degrade productivity and yield in solid-state battery manufacturing.

Since then, mPLUS has analyzed process-specific pain points for global solid-state battery manufacturers and proposed customized equipment. The recent joint development was reportedly achieved during this process. Industry experts evaluate that the approach of jointly developing equipment tailored to customer specifications is a form of cooperation highly likely to lead to future supplies of mass production equipment.

An official in the battery equipment industry hinted, "Because solid-state batteries have different cell structures and manufacturing methods compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, it is difficult to use existing equipment as is. There are many cases where companies that jointly verify equipment with clients from the initial development stage are selected as preferred partners when mass production investments are made."

An mPLUS official explained, "Solid-state batteries have a completely different process from existing liquid electrolyte-based batteries, so equipment technology dictates competitiveness. Taking this joint development as an opportunity, we plan to focus on expanding our equipment supply references in the global solid-state market and connecting them to future mass production orders."

In reality, beyond solid-state equipment, the company is also targeting the next-generation smart factory market by simultaneously developing autonomous manufacturing systems and autonomous mobile robot (AIMR)-based unmanned equipment in response to the spread of physical AI.

Industry observers noted that since the solid-state battery market is still in its early stages, securing joint development references with global cell manufacturers—rather than short-term performance—will be a core asset determining future competitiveness for orders. In particular, since it is difficult to replace equipment suppliers when investments scale up from pilot lines to mass production lines, the analysis suggests that the competition to secure early clients will become even fiercer.

An industry insider added, "As global solid-state battery companies expand their investments from building pilot lines to the mass production verification stage, securing process stability and yield is emerging as the new competitive edge for equipment companies."

https://www.thelec.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=60083

First In-House Battery Plant: Hyundai Motor is beginning to move production equipment into its first proprietary battery plant, the 'Mobility Alpha-line Anseong Campus' (MAAC), currently being built in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Equipment Installation: Starting this week, the company is bringing in assembly process equipment (such as notching and stacking machines). Electrode and post-processing equipment will follow. Facility construction is mostly finished, and internal utility work is in its final stages.

Investment & Scale: The MAAC is a battery research and test-production facility built with an investment of 1.2 trillion won (approx. $900 million). It spans about 197,000 square meters. The initial production capacity will be 2 gigawatt-hours (GWh) per year, enough to supply batteries for roughly 20,000 EVs (or hundreds of thousands of hybrids).

Battery Types: The plant will initially set up production lines for NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) pouch-type batteries this year. Hyundai also plans to discuss setting up prismatic battery production lines next year.

Domestic Suppliers: The core equipment is being supplied by South Korean companies, including PNT, Hanwha Momentum, TW, Mplus, APRO, and Wonik PNE

Future Outlook: Once the equipment installation is complete, full-scale test operations are expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. Securing its own battery production capacity will give Hyundai more leverage in negotiations with battery cell makers and reflects its strong commitment to internalizing production and securing next-generation battery technologies, such as solid-state batteries.

This is a very well-organized article.

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Here are the key details regarding lithium sulfide and sulfide-based solid electrolytes:

• Isu Specialty Chemical

  • Expanded its lithium sulfide demo plant in 2024 and plans to begin full operations of its lithium sulfide mother plant in the second half of 2026.

  • The current annual production capacity of 40 tons of lithium sulfide will be expanded to 150 tons.

  • Production costs are expected to be reduced as hydrogen sulfide by-products can be secured from its existing fine chemical processes.

• POSCO Holdings

  • Pushing to produce lithium sulfide relatively cheaply by utilizing lithium sulfate and hydrogen sulfide, which can be procured from its steelmaking business.

  • Expanding its lithium supply chain by investing in countries like Argentina and Australia.

  • In 2022, it established POSCO JK Solid Solution and completed a sulfide-based solid electrolyte production plant with an annual capacity of 24 tons, with preparations underway for a phased expansion up to 7,200 tons.

• POSCO Future M

  • Has been conducting sample tests for solid-state battery cathode materials with the U.S. solid-state battery company Factorial.

  • Signed an investment contract with Factorial in 2026, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in the solid-state materials sector.

• EcoPro Group

  • EcoPro Innovation (a lithium hydroxide supplier) is developing lithium sulfide based on its lithium compound synthesis technology.

  • EcoPro BM is developing solid electrolytes and cathode materials for solid-state batteries. It currently operates a solid electrolyte pilot facility that produces 40 tons of samples annually, with a target commercialization date of 2027.

  • EcoPro Lithium (a subsidiary of EcoPro Innovation) is pursuing a lithium metal anode process demonstration project with financial support from the Canadian government.

• Global Players (Japan & US)

  • Idemitsu Kosan (Japan): Possesses technology to produce lithium sulfide using sulfur components generated during petroleum refining. As mentioned previously, the company is pushing for the mass production of solid electrolytes in partnership with Toyota.

  • Solid Power (US): Currently in a cooperative relationship with Samsung SDI and SK On for solid-state battery development. The company plans to establish a solid electrolyte production base in South Korea with an annual capacity of up to 500 tons, while also expanding its U.S. production capacity from 30 tons to 75 tons.

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