Solid Power Commissions MOBIUS Continuous Electrolyte Pilot Line
Solid Power, Inc. has begun commissioning MOBIUS, a continuous manufacturing pilot line for sulfide-based solid electrolytes, at its SP2 facility in Thornton, Colorado. The line was previously designated the SP2.5 Continuous Manufacturing Pilot Line. It adds 45 metric tons of annual production capacity, which expands total SP2 output by 150 percent to roughly 75 metric tons per year alongside the site’s existing batch operations.
Primary powder processing site acceptance testing is complete, according to the company, with full site acceptance testing targeted for late October 2026. The shift from batch synthesis to continuous manufacturing is intended to tighten process controls, improve batch-to-batch repeatability, and speed the cost-reduction curve required for industrial-scale automotive integration. Operational startup and facility validation remain scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026, supported by up to $50 million in federal assistance through the U.S. Department of Energy. Output from the line is slated to provide commercial qualification volumes directly to Tier 1 battery manufacturers and automotive OEM partners under Solid Power’s material supply and cell design licensing framework.
Wolfspeed Signs Multiyear Silicon Carbide Supply Agreement With BorgWarner
Wolfspeed has entered into a multiyear supply agreement with Tier 1 supplier BorgWarner to provide silicon carbide power devices for BorgWarner’s next-generation 800-volt traction inverter platform. Under the partnership, BorgWarner will integrate Wolfspeed’s Gen 5 1200-volt silicon carbide technology into its high-voltage power conversion architectures, with a stated focus on higher efficiency and power density for battery-electric vehicles.
The supply pipeline draws on Wolfspeed’s domestic manufacturing footprint, which has moved production to 200 mm silicon carbide wafers to support volume commercialization. The multiyear commitment gives BorgWarner dedicated component allocation as global automakers accelerate high-voltage electric powertrain programs aimed at vehicle-level efficiency targets.
BorgWarner Wins Next-Generation High-Voltage Traction Inverter Award
Separately, BorgWarner has been awarded a major contract to supply its next-generation high-voltage traction inverter platform for upcoming battery-electric vehicle programs with an existing global OEM partner. The award extends the supplier’s current silicon and power electronics business into the automaker’s next generation of electric propulsion architectures and maintains supply continuity across key vehicle lines.
The traction inverter connects directly to the high-voltage bus, converting DC power from the traction battery into AC drive current for the electric motor. BorgWarner’s updated power conversion architecture combines updated semiconductor power modules with a streamlined physical packaging layout, a design the company says lowers component complexity while improving thermal efficiency, energy throughput, and power density across vehicle classes. Engineered for high-volume production, the scalable design is intended to improve manufacturing efficiency and unit economics for high-voltage DC-DC and DC-AC power distribution. The architecture supports modular integration into varied skateboard platforms and integrated drive module assemblies, targeting the packaging volume and power-loss metrics required for next-phase EV programs.
Kenda Named Factory and Accessory Tire Supplier for Slate Auto’s Electric Pickup
Slate Auto has designated American Kenda Rubber as both the original-equipment and accessory tire supplier for its upcoming battery-electric pickup, The Blank Slate. Production begins in November 2026, and Kenda’s purpose-built Klever S/T EV tire will be fitted across standard factory builds. Engineered at Kenda’s technical center in Akron, Ohio, the tire uses low-rolling-resistance construction to help extend driving range, paired with reinforced sidewalls designed to handle instant electric torque and vehicle curb weight.
The agreement supports Slate Auto’s low-cost, direct-to-consumer customization strategy, allowing buyers to select alternative accessory tire profiles directly from the manufacturer. Locking in factory tire supply formalizes a key chassis component ahead of commercial assembly.
Volkswagen Pauses ID. Golf Development in Wolfsburg Amid Architecture Review
Volkswagen has put a temporary development freeze on the next-generation electric ID. Golf at its Wolfsburg headquarters, deferring capital expenditures as the brand works to close a €300 million departmental savings gap following an operating loss in the third quarter. The pause halts development spending while executive leadership evaluates platform strategy, specifically whether to keep the vehicle on the group’s delayed Scalable Systems Platform or move future core models to the China Electrical Architecture co-developed with Xpeng, a step that would reduce manufacturing overhead.
The hiatus adds uncertainty at the Wolfsburg facility, where production of the combustion-engine Golf is slated to move to Mexico in 2027, leaving the plant’s long-term utilization dependent on electric variants. Software development continues through the group’s joint venture with Rivian. The unresolved hardware architecture and delayed production window have, meanwhile, heightened labor friction with IG Metall ahead of potential industrial action.
Ford Brings Bidirectional Home Power Below $30,000 With the 2027 Fathom
Ford Motor Company plans to offer bidirectional vehicle-to-home capability on its upcoming 2027 Fathom electric pickup, which carries an entry MSRP of $28,350. By building the DC-to-AC power inverter directly into the vehicle’s onboard modular E-box architecture, drawing on engineering developed through its 2023 acquisition of Auto Motive Power, Ford removes the need for an expensive external wall-mounted inverter. The system is projected to supply more than 10 kilowatts of continuous AC power to household circuits through Ford’s Home Power Station charger. Off-grid outage islanding is enabled by an optional Home Backup Power Panel expected to cost at least 60 percent less than previous-generation hardware.
To address regulatory fragmentation across more than 3,000 North American utility territories, Ford formed a strategic utility working group in July 2026 with American Electric Power, BC Hydro, Consumers Energy, Exelon, and Pacific Gas and Electric. The group aims to streamline compliance with the IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 standards by establishing a standardized grid-interconnection tier. Under that framework, islanded backup and controlled time-of-use discharge would be exempt, and formal utility interconnection approval would be required only when the vehicle operates in full parallel grid export.