EV charging providers don’t seem to have gotten the memo about the demise of EVs—they’ve been deploying new chargers in record numbers in the US and Europe. Retail chains also seem to be ignoring the steady drumbeat of doom—Walmart, Kroger, Wawa and others are planning to open thousands of new charging locations over the next few years.

However, EV charging provider ChargePoint predicts that even these numbers of public chargers won’t be adequate. The company has revealed data insights from more than 100 million EV charging sessions enabled in the last year. This data, combined with 2025 EV sales figures, suggests that the availability of public charging infrastructure is not keeping up with driver demand.

ChargePoint’s data shows notable growth in both charging port expansion and utilization across its network, and indicates that the number of EVs on the road is growing faster than the volume of public charging infrastructure needed to support them.

“ChargePoint believes we have entered the next phase of EV adoption,” said CEO Rick Wilmer. “Nearly 60% of the 19.3 billion electric miles we’ve enabled in nearly 18 years took place over the most recent two years. New EV sales are no longer the primary benchmark for charger demand, it is the total number of EVs on the road. Those installing chargers in 2026 should see accelerated ROI because of this utilization pressure.”

ChargePoint cites auto industry data showing that global EV sales increased 20% in 2025. Whether charging demand is evaluated by volume or utilization, the data shows that the number of charging sessions is outpacing new charger installations. In 2025, the volume of charging sessions increased by 34%, despite a much smaller increase in the number of vehicles on the road.  Even as 190,000 more charging ports became available to drivers on the ChargePoint network, charger utilization still outpaced the growth of new ports by almost 20%. This bottleneck may get worse in 2026 unless the rate of charger installation increases, the company says.

Source: ChargePoint

EV charging infrastructure provider i-charging has expanded its charging ecosystem with MAX, a 1.6 MW modular charging power unit designed to be expandable to accommodate changing needs.

MAX integrates seamlessly with i-charging’s existing user interface portfolio to support installations ranging from mixed urban fleets to megawatt-scale public charging sites.

“Traditional high-power charging solutions require operators to make critical decisions upfront: total power capacity, charging standards (CCS, NACS, GB/T, MCS), number of outputs and interface configurations,” the company explains.

“We’ve been listening to operators describe this challenge,” said Pedro Silva, CEO of i-charging. “They need infrastructure today, but their business will evolve. Fleet composition changes. New vehicle technologies will emerge. MAX was designed around a simple principle: your infrastructure should grow with your operation, not constrain it.”

MAX’s modular architecture is designed to enable operators to deploy the capacity they require today, and scale up to 1.6 MW as demand grows. Power levels can be expanded in 50 kW increments without replacing core systems, new outputs can be added, different charging standards can be mixed, and user interface configurations can be changed.

MAX’s modular architecture supports CCS, NACS and GB/T connectors today, and will accommodate the emerging MCS standard as heavy-duty vehicles adopt it. Public transport operators can integrate pantograph charsging systems for electric bus operations.

MAX incorporates i-charging’s dynamic power allocation technology. The system distributes 1.6 MW intelligently across up to eight vehicles based on real-time demand.

First contracted deliveries of MAX are scheduled to begin in Q3 2026.

Source: i-charging

Karma Automotive and solid-state battery developer Factorial have announced what they describe as the first solid-state battery production program in the US for passenger vehicles. Factorial’s FEST (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) cells will be integrated into Karma’s next-generation vehicle platform, starting with the all-electric Kaveya super-coupe—a 1,000+ hp vehicle with a top speed exceeding 200 mph, scheduled for late 2027.

Karma had originally planned an earlier launch for the Kaveya but delayed it in 2025. “We did not yet see a clear path to fully delivering the uncompromising driving experience that should be expected from an American ultra-luxury vehicle company,” said CEO Marques McCammon. “Now through the partnership with Factorial and the integration of FEST, we can not only deliver that experience, but also open a pathway to stronger, more stable electrified drive systems.”

A notable aspect of Factorial’s technology is its manufacturing compatibility. According to the company, FEST cells can be produced using up to 80 percent of existing lithium-ion manufacturing equipment, rather than requiring entirely new production lines. Factorial says this enables rapid scale-up of the production program with Karma.

“FEST was built to scale,” said Factorial CEO Siyu Huang. “This milestone not only highlights the energy and performance solid-state technology can deliver but also underscores the global leadership of US technology innovators.”

Factorial’s other automotive partners include Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Hyundai and Kia.

Source: Karma Automotive

US-based Ionic Mineral Technologies has expanded the lease rights for its Silicon Ridge rare earth project in Utah and completed a strategic step-out drilling program for its Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA).

The 4,100 additional acres of land consolidate the company’s strategic land package to roughly 13,000 contiguous acres. The expansion is strategically significant, as it facilitates direct, optimized logistical access from the project area to Ionic’s processing facility in Provo.

The drilling program was designed to test the lateral extent of the mineralized clay system and provide the data necessary to expand the geological model for the PEA. Each step-out hole intersected the targeted mineralization and ended within the mineralized formation, confirming the system’s strong lateral continuity and indicating it remains open at depth, the company said.

Silicon Ridge’s polymetallic clay will be the primary feedstock for Ionic vertically integrated production, designed to bypass complex, high-cost hard-rock processing.

The company intends to provide a domestic source of minor metals and rare earths from its IAC-Plus system, which contains gallium, germanium, rubidium, cesium, scandium, lithium, vanadium, tungsten and niobium. The company also plans to produce its IonAl alumina for industrial applications and Ionisil Nano-Silicon anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

“Consolidating 13,000 acres and confirming continuous mineralization across a 1,400-acre footprint reinforces that Silicon Ridge has the potential to be one of North America’s most significant and scalable critical mineral assets,” said Andre Zeitoun, CEO and founder of Ionic Mineral Technologies.

Source: Ionic Mineral Technologies

US-based lithium-ion battery fire extinguishing products manufacturer Full Circle Lithium has launched six new lithium-ion fire extinguisher sizes, initially in North American markets.

The extinguishers include four retail-focused models—20 ounces, 1 litre, 2 litres and 3 litres—and two industrial-size units—30 litres and 50 litres—designed to address the risks associated with lithium-ion battery use across residential, recreational and industrial environments.

The new products will use FCL-X, the company’s non-hazardous, non-toxic, water-based fire-extinguishing agent.

The retail-focused models are designed for homeowners and consumer applications, providing targeted protection for electronics, laptops, e-bikes, e-scooters, power tools and other battery-powered devices commonly found in the home. The compact units are designed for easy placement in garages, living spaces, workshops and charging areas.

The new extinguishers also address the expanding use of lithium-ion batteries in recreational applications, including golf, boating and powersports.

The two industrial-size extinguishers deliver greater agent capacity and performance, making them well-suited to higher-risk and commercial environments such as warehouses, service facilities, charging stations and industrial operations that manage large quantities of lithium-ion batteries. A 100-litre format will also be available over the next few months.

All six extinguisher sizes are engineered to meet applicable safety and performance standards and are available immediately through FCL’s authorized distribution network. They will also soon be listed on FCL’s website.

“Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere, and the fire risks they present are fundamentally different from traditional fires,” said Chad Carver, VP of Sales and Operations at FCL. “These new extinguishers were developed to help protect people, property, and investments, whether that’s a family home, a golf cart fleet, a boat at the marina, or an industrial facility.”

Source: Full Circle Lithium

Silicon-enhanced battery materials and components firm NEO Battery Materials has developed and manufactured its first battery cell designed for drone applications.

NEO received its first purchase order from an Asian manufacturer for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) late last year.

The NBM Drone Cell, which is intended for reconnaissance and surveillance applications, achieves an average discharge capacity of 34.2 A and specific energy of approximately 300 Wh/kg, compared to 22.0 Ah and 214 Wh/kg in widely deployed commercial drone cells manufactured in China, NEO said.

This performance improvement was achieved without altering the physical size or dimensions of the cell, addressing a fundamental constraint in drone and unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms where battery dimensions are fixed by airframe and design.

These advancements are expected to translate into including prolonged flight time, widened mission operability and expanded payload capacity.

The development program was initiated following a teardown evaluation of Chinese-manufactured drone battery cells currently integrated into operational surveillance systems. The process enabled NEO to assess cell architecture, materials selection and performance characteristics, forming the technical foundation for a targeted redesign.

NEO engineered a new cell architecture optimized for higher energy density while maintaining compatibility with existing drone and UAS platforms. A total of 48 prototype cells were manufactured and evaluated to validate performance consistency and repeatability across the sample set.

Following cell-level validation, NEO has proceeded to battery pack assembly in collaboration with a pack manufacturing partner in South Korea. The company plans to conduct a live field test, installing finished drone cell packs into a commercial surveillance drone platform to evaluate performance under real-world operating conditions.

“Chinese-sourced battery cells currently represent nearly all global supply for drone and UAS platforms. Our demonstrated ability to materially improve performance at fixed battery sizes provides a compelling opportunity for customers seeking supply diversification, extended operational range, enhanced mission flexibility, and increased payload capacity without requiring system-level redesign,” said Mr. Seok Joung Youn, NEO’s Head of Facility Operations and Manufacturing. “NEO’s battery customization and optimization capabilities can be applied across a range of drone platforms and any battery-powered electronics systems.”

Source: NEO Battery Materials

U.S. Energy has added a smaller model to its Volt Vault mobile EV charging line. The Volt Vault Lite is a trailer-based DC fast charging unit built on a 22-foot platform that can be towed by a mid-sized pickup truck.

The unit offers two ports of Level 3 charging at up to 60 kW and can run on propane, utility natural gas or renewable natural gas (RNG). The company says the Lite model is aimed at fleets that need fast charging in locations where grid infrastructure isn’t available or where charging is only needed temporarily. Lead time is four months.

“Solving for EV charging shouldn’t feel like a game of ‘would you rather’ and with Volt Vault Lite, it won’t,” said Jerry Miller, director of business development. “The Lite model is ideal for fast charging in areas that just can’t get the necessary electrical infrastructure or when charging infrastructure is only needed for short durations.”

The Volt Vault product line is now deployed across 15 states, according to the company.

Source: U.S. Energy

As the power electronics industry shifts from silicon IGBTs to SiC MOSFETs—driven largely by the efficiency demands of EV inverters, onboard chargers and DC fast charging—one persistent headache has been the gate driver. Legacy designs built around optocouplers and opto-emulators typically need significant rework to handle SiC’s faster switching speeds and higher noise immunity requirements.

Infineon’s new EiceDRIVER 1ED301xMC12I family is designed to eliminate that barrier. The isolated gate driver ICs are pin-compatible with existing opto-emulators and optocouplers, allowing them to serve as drop-in replacements in legacy designs while delivering the performance SiC demands.

The family includes three variants—the 1ED3010, 1ED3011 and 1ED3012—supporting Si MOSFETs, IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs respectively. Key specs include up to 6.5 A of output current, CMTI exceeding 300 kV/µs, propagation delay of 40 ns and timing matching below 10 ns. The devices come in a CTI 600 6-pin DSO package with more than 8 mm creepage and clearance, and use a pure PMOS sourcing stage for improved turn-on performance.

Target applications include motor drives, solar inverters, EV chargers and energy storage systems. All three variants are available now, along with an evaluation board (EVAL-1ED3012MC12I-SIC).

Don’t miss Infineon’s upcoming webinars at our next virtual conference:

Source: Infineon

Focus Graphite Advanced Materials, which is developing high-grade flake graphite deposits and graphite materials, has announced that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office has allowed its Canadian patent application for battery anode materials.

Patent No. 3,209,696, entitled Advanced Anode Materials Comprising Spheroidal Additive-Enhanced Graphite Particles and Process for Making Same, covers proprietary processes and compositions for silicon-enhanced, spheroidal graphite particles. These are designed to improve performance characteristics critical to lithium-ion battery anodes, including energy density, charge efficiency and cycling stability, Focus said, by incorporating silicon within the graphite particle architecture while leveraging graphite’s structural stability and conductivity.

By distributing silicon within the graphite structure, the technology is intended to address two challenges associated with silicon-enhanced anodes: charge-induced volume expansion and solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) instability.

Embedding silicon within a graphite matrix is expected to help buffer volumetric expansion during cycling, supporting improved mechanical integrity, while the surrounding graphite structure can reduce direct silicon–electrolyte interactions, which Focus said contribute to enhanced cycling stability and battery longevity.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office has completed its examination and determined that the Patent claims meet all Canadian requirements for patentability, including novelty and inventiveness.

Subject to the completion of final administrative steps, the Patent is expected to proceed to formal grant.

“The allowance of this Patent represents the culmination of years of focused research and development. The underlying technology was shaped under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Doninger, whose deep technical insight and commitment to innovation were instrumental to its success, and we are grateful for the work he contributed,” said Dean Hanisch, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Graphite. “With the Patent now allowed, we are well positioned to move forward with broader testing and advancement of this technology as part of our downstream strategy.”

Source: Focus Graphite Advanced Materials

Thermal imaging firm Raythink has released a white paper outlining a three-layer approach to monitoring thermal risks across the lithium-ion battery lifecycle, from production and testing through charging, energy storage and end-of-life recycling.

The system centers on infrared-based thermal monitoring. The first layer uses thermal cameras rated for harsh environments, deployed at production lines, storage facilities and other critical areas. The second layer, a cloud platform called VIS3000, centralizes thermal data for trend analysis, incident review and compliance documentation. The third integrates with existing safety systems—including BMS, fire alarms and distributed control systems—to create a unified monitoring network.

According to the company, most thermal monitoring solutions in practice remain fragmented, with different stages of the battery lifecycle relying on independent systems. Raythink’s approach consolidates data from all environments onto a single platform, which the company says also yields process and quality insights beyond safety monitoring.

“The system addresses key gaps in traditional lithium-ion battery safety monitoring and enables proactive, full-lifecycle management of EV battery thermal risks,” according to the company.

The white paper is available for download at raythink-tech.com.

Source: Raythink