Latest news with #batterytech
Phone Arena
02-07-2025
- Phone Arena
Is Samsung finally cracking the code on Galaxy S26 battery woes?
Lately, Samsung fans have had to face a certain level of disappointment when it comes to battery upgrades. But it seems that with the Galaxy S26, the company may be working to address some of the issues by improving battery tech, allowing for bigger batteries, and even potentially faster charging. Reportedly, Samsung has started an agreement with South Korea's ITM Semiconductor Co. The agreement is said to be focused on finding specialized solutions to extend the longevity of batteries for the Galaxy S26 series. These solutions may include the use of additive filters to reinforce batteries, to protect them against physical stressors. According to The Elec, ITM Semiconductor is tasked to offer "battery protection circuits" made using epoxy molding compound, otherwise known as EMC technology. The report, coming from South Korea, also indicates these new circuits will regulate the flow of charge: so the Galaxy S26 's batteries will be protected from overcharging or discharging too quickly. EMC basically deploys a thin layer of polymeric compounds to block moisture and prevent electromagnetic interference from other components. This also helps dissipate heat generated by charging or discharging. Batteries degrade faster when subjected to heat while charging or battery-intensive tasks that discharge the battery too quickly (like gaming). The report also indicates that a less advanced tech solution is employed by ITM for the Galaxy A, Z Fold, and Z Flip series. Meanwhile, EMC is a more advanced technology and its protection circuits are smaller and become smaller with each iteration. When we're talking about phones, we all know how important every little half-inch of space could be. If these components get smaller, this allows for more space for the actual battery (hence, potentially a bigger battery). Galaxy S25 Plus. | Image Credit – Samsung The report from The Elec doesn't mention battery sizes. However, there have been rumors about Samsung potentially increasing the battery capacity, at least for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, more reliable insiders claimed the Ultra may not get above 5,400mAh battery cell, which is roughly less than a 10% increase over this year's Ultra model, the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Also, there was a report indicating the entire series may get bigger batteries, but nothing more than what some Chinese phone brands managed to get. A huge portion of Chinese phone makers are now using SiC batteries (silicon-carbon). Samsung is yet to join this pack, and for now, it seems that the company doesn't have plans to use the new tech in upcoming models. SiC batteries allow for a higher charge density, which means the battery has more capacity without becoming bigger physically. The OnePlus 13, for one, as well as the Nothing Phone (3) come with this type of battery. These phones have higher mAh ratings without being huge or bulky at all. Of course, the tech is evolving and batteries will grow even more. Rumors about the OnePlus 15, which has not been announced yet, claim that it may come with a 7,000mAh battery. When you think of things like that, the Galaxy S26 Ultra 's rumored 5,500mAh battery cell starts looking even smaller. However, the rumored improved protection could potentially allow for faster charging, another area where phones from China typically beat both Samsung and Apple. However, no reports indicate this at this moment. Personally, I'd love for Samsung to adopt SiC batteries or to figure out a way to put more mAh into the Galaxy S26 series. When you compare them with some Chinese phones in terms of battery capacity, the Galaxies seem to fall behind (I'm not even mentioning Apple here, for obvious reasons). Maybe Samsung will shine even brighter if, next year, there's a notable upgrade in battery sizes. But we'll have to wait and see for that. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
QuantumScape Skyrockets 32% After Breakthrough That Could Rewrite the Future of EV Batteries
QuantumScape (NYSE:QS) shares surged nearly 32% at 2.25pm on Wednesday after the battery startup announced a major step forward in its solid-state battery production process. The company said it has now fully adopted its Cobra ceramic separator across its battery manufacturing lines. The new process treats cell components 25 times faster than previous methods and operates with a much smaller equipment footprint. According to CEO Siva Sivaram, this breakthrough could offer a powerful path forward for scaling up production while cutting both costs and floor spacetwo persistent barriers in bringing next-gen batteries to market. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 2 Warning Sign with QS. Solid-state batteries have long been positioned as the endgame for electric vehicles, thanks to their potential for faster charging, higher energy density, and greater safety. But commercial viability has remained elusive. For QuantumScape, the Cobra upgrade may finally be the catalyst to shift from lab-scale development to large-scale production. The market responded accordingly. After years of underperformanceQS shares are still down roughly 42% from their peak despite this week's rallyinvestors seem to be warming up to the idea that QuantumScape could actually deliver. The implications for automakers are significant. Volkswagen (VWAGY), which has invested $380 million into the startup and holds a 24% stake, has already signed a licensing agreement to use QuantumScape's tech in mass production. What's also notable: QuantumScape isn't betting on just one horse. The company confirmed it has sampling agreements with several OEMsincluding both major and luxury automakers. That could position it as a foundational supplier in the next wave of EV battery tech, provided it can scale effectively. While the road to commercialization remains steep and complex, this latest development could mark an inflection point in QuantumScape's journeyone that investors and partners alike will be watching closely. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Former EV high-flyer surges on battery breakthrough
Former EV high-flyer surges on battery breakthrough originally appeared on TheStreet. Comebacks hit different on Wall Street. Everyone loves a redemption arc, especially when it's tied to a once high-flying stock. After the Covid-induced stock market boom, the hangover hit hard. 💵💰💰💵 Zero rates and stimulus cash effectively pumped everything from EVs to meme stocks. However, once the Fed started hiking and inflation kicked in, the air came out fast. Many speculative names, especially those without profits, took the biggest stocks, whether pure plays or pick-and-shovel plays, jumped on hype, future promises, and Tesla's glow, but reality hit hard, and they're still mostly under pressure. One beaten-down EV stock, though, is finally making noise again, thanks to a major step forward in breakthrough battery tech. QuantumScape () stock burst onto the market in late 2020 as one of the most hyped EV pick-and-shovel began trading at $24.80 after its SPAC merger on November 27, 2020, peaking at $132.73 on December 22 (a whopping 435% gain) before pulling back. Backed by Volkswagen and Bill Gates, QuantumScape promised a major battery breakthrough. By using a solid-state design with a ceramic layer, the company aimed to block dangerous lithium spikes and deliver more power, faster charging, and better safety than liquid-based cells. In other words, you get much more juice in the same space, blazing fast charging, and no overheating. Think of it like swapping your old smartphone charger for a high-powered supercharger; what took half an hour now finishes in 10 minutes flat. Needless to say, it's a massive deal for pushing EVs into the mainstream. However, turning those lab dreams into factory reality was much harder than expected. QuantumScape hit wall after wall due to manufacturing delays, yield issues, and tech hitches. As timelines dragged and cash burned fast, the hype faded. By mid-2022, shares were deep in the single digits, losing more than 80% in value. However, yesterday's development suggests that it could potentially mount a major comeback. More EV Stock News: Struggling EV semiconductor company files for bankruptcy Musk's AI chatbot weighs in on Tesla stock and Robotaxi Veteran Tesla analyst makes boldest robotaxi call yet QuantumScape's next-gen Cobra separator is finally part of its core production line. That marks the first time Cobra's been used in full-speed, high-volume manufacturing, a massive leap in scaling up for gigafactory-level is built to replace the old Raptor setup, and it's a major upgrade. It quickens heat treatment by 25 times and takes up much less space. That makes production much faster and more compact, which is the boost QuantumScape needs to hit scale and keep its expenses in check. Also, Cobra isn't just quicker; it's a lot smarter, too. Shrinking the footprint and streamlining thermal processing bring QuantumScape closer to building a full-scale, end-to-end battery plant. That sort of progress gives it more street cred with automakers and makes it easier to lock in future deals and funding. Following the development, QuantumScape stock went parabolic. In pre-market trading today, the stock has gained over 43% to open at $6.17. Year-to-date, though, the stock is down 17%. This development could spark a major EV high-flyer surges on battery breakthrough first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 25, 2025 This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Phone Arena
17-06-2025
- Phone Arena
Insider report explains why Samsung is skipping bleeding-edge battery tech (for now)
Behind the scenes: R&D focused on safety and lifespan is reportedly conducting internal tests one new battery chemistries to achieve better performance and longer battery life. However, the company is taking what the leaker describes as the "longer and safer road" to innovation. Samsung is reportedly conducting internal tests one new battery chemistries to achieve better performance and longer battery life. However, the company is taking what the leaker describes as the "longer and safer road" to innovation. In other words, Samsung is taking its time to go through every possible safety and performance concern before it implements any major battery tech changes to its phones. Receive the latest Samsung news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy For context, silicon-carbon batteries replace the traditional graphite anode with a silicon-carbon alternative, enabling higher energy density and potentially slimmer device designs. Samsung's caution may explain the absence of silicon-carbon batteries in the upcoming Galaxy S25 series — technology that competitors like Xiaomi and OnePlus have already introduced in their flagship context, silicon-carbon batteries replace the traditional graphite anode with a silicon-carbon alternative, enabling higher energy density and potentially slimmer device designs. Why Samsung is staying away for silicon-carbon (for now) Silicon-carbon tech has some drawbacks — most notably, durability issues related to silicon's expansion during charging cycles. Over time, this can degrade the battery's lifespan, which runs counter to Samsung's current product philosophy. Long-term reliability stands as a core principle for Samsung at present. The extensive software update period of seven years for Samsung flagship devices makes it essential to have batteries that can last throughout the entire support duration, which leads me to the next point. Silicon-carbon tech has some drawbacks — most notably, durability issues related to silicon's expansion during charging cycles. Over time, this can degrade the battery's lifespan, which runs counter to Samsung's current product reliability stands as a core principle for Samsung at present. The extensive software update period of seven years for Samsung flagship devices makes it essential to have batteries that can last throughout the entire support duration, which leads me to the next point. Samsung has a good reason to be cautious. The Samsung has a good reason to be cautious. The Galaxy Note 7 battery recall incident remains a vivid memory for Samsung, even if most of us have already forgotten about it. It's likely one of the reasons Samsung remains extra vigilant when evaluating new battery tech, even if it results in criticism for lack of progress. Most Galaxy phones, including the most recently released Galaxy S25 Edge , still rely on lithium-ion battery tech with no major improvements to energy density or charging just because it hasn't introduced any major battery-related upgrades recently, that doesn't mean Samsung has stopped trying to improve its phones on that front. A recent leak from @PandaFlashPro reveals the company is actively experimenting with various battery technologies.
Auto Blog
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
VW Bets on Cheaper Batteries to Help Revamp EV Lineup Starting with ID.2
Volkswagen's affordable EV push is leveraging new battery tech Volkswagen (VW) has scheduled a substantial refresh of its electric lineup starting in 2026 with the release of the ID.2 supermini, the automaker's first-ever model to use lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery tech that's less expensive than its current nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) packs, as first reported by Autocar UK. The VW Group's upcoming core EVs will segue from today's MEB platform into a new LFP battery platform named MEB Plus. LFP battery cells have slightly less energy density than NMC packs, but their production cost savings outweigh this energy discrepancy. The savings primarily stem from LFP batteries being less reliant on expensive materials like cobalt than NMC packs. New LFP cells also have higher thermal stability and a longer lifespan. After the ID.2's release, MEB Plus will make its way into VW models like the ID.3 hatchback, the U.S. market's ID.4 SUV, and the ID.7 sedan. Tesla was the first automaker to bring LFP batteries to the mass market with its Model 3 in China, followed by Ford's Mustang Mach-E. The Volkswagen ID.2 modular electric drive matrix (MEB) with front-wheel drive. — Source: Volkswagen News of the MEB Plus platform is significant given VW's earlier struggles in the EV segment. These roadblocks included the ID.3 and ID.4 launches experiencing software glitches, interior material quality complaints from users, and a perception that the vehicles didn't match or surpass the value of competitors like Tesla. VW's new Salzgitter, Germany, factory will manufacture the upcoming LFP batteries alongside the current NMC packs until they're phased out. The automaker's CEO, Thomas Schäfer, told Autocar UK: 'You can see this move towards LFP across the board, except for performance applications on the upper end. In the volume game, LFP is the technology.' Final thoughts MEB Plus will revitalize VW's EV lineup until the company launches its delayed SSP platform, a multi-billion euro extension of the current MEB modular system, according to Battery Industry. VW's use of MEB Plus also marks the brand's first substantial shift into a new platform that's cheaper to make, enhancing its mass market prospects. While the ID.2 is the automaker's first direct entry into the affordable EV market, it likely won't make it to the U.S., where VW and other manufacturers face export challenges with tariffs and an Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that's on the verge of a substantial reorganization. Changes to the IRA could also slow the growth of U.S. battery production facilities, even if VW expands its U.S. manufacturing presence. Still, current and prospective U.S. EV drivers can look forward to cost reductions and possible range increases in models like the VW ID.4 SUV, along with GM's commercialization of LMR (lithium manganese-rich) prismatic battery cells that bring extended range electric trucks through more accessible pricing. Like VW's LFP battery tech, GM's LMR cells are less reliant on cobalt, which has introduced ethical dilemmas in addition to higher costs. Cobalt mining has exposed local communities, primarily the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to toxic metals while contributing to environmental degradation. The Democratic Republic of the Congo produces about 70% of the world's cobalt supply.
