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Tesla gets another new price target as recent events 'remove large overhang'

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) received a new Street-high price target from Wedbush’s Dan Ives today, who cited high hopes for the company’s prowess in the autonomous sector. Ives boosted his price target from $500 to $600 today, reflecting the firm’s view that “an accelerated AI path for the company is now on the horizon and investors are underestimating the transformation underway at the company.” In a new note written to investors on Friday, Ives cited that Tesla’s next stage of growth has arrived as Elon Musk has re-entered his role as a “wartime CEO,” which gives the company a huge advantage over its competitors. Musk, when fully committed to Tesla, does his best work, and Ives believes the company’s mark on the autonomous sector will continue to expand with the help of the Trump White House. He wrote: “Musk is now driving Tesla into its next stage of growth as ‘wartime CEO,’ and we expect Robotaxis to be rolled out aggressively to over 30 US cities within the next year. We estimate the AI and autonomous opportunity is worth at least $1 trillion alone for Tesla, and we fully expect under a Trump White House over the coming yea,r these key initiatives will now get fast-tracked as the federal regulatory spiderweb that Musk & Co. have encountered over the past few years around FSD/autonomous clears significantly under Trump. Trump wants the US to stay ahead of China in this AI Arms Race, and autonomous is a key factor in who wins AI….with Tesla playing a major role on Robotaxis.” Most of the note focused on the long-term outlook for Tesla, which is where some of the most drastic claims were made, including ones that estimated a monstrous valuation for the company moving forward. Ives said Wedbush is under the impression that Tesla could reach a $2 trillion market cap as early as the beginning of 2026 and a $3 trillion valuation by the end of the year. This growth will be primarily driven by the AI portion of the company’s projects: “We believe Tesla could reach a $2 trillion market cap early 2026 in a bull case scenario and $3 trillion by the end of 2026 as full-scale volume production begins of the autonomous and robotics roadmap. The AI valuation will start to get unlocked in the Tesla story, and we believe the march to an AI-driven valuation for TSLA over the next 6-9 months has now begun in our view with FSD and autonomous penetration of Tesla’s installed base and the acceleration of Cybercab in the US representing the golden goose for Musk & Co.” In the near term, the only true issue at hand is deliveries, which Tesla should likely have a strong quarter thanks to the removal of the $7,500 EV tax credit. Ives says he expects a beat of Q3 numbers, driven by an “improving demand out of China.” He also said that while he expects this quarter to be strong, Tesla should aim to return to a run-rate of 500,000 deliveries every quarter, equating to approximately 2 million units per year. This will be driven by new, more affordable models, with the tax credit going away: “On the near-term delivery front we are seeing a stabilization of demand globally that should enable Tesla to beat the Street’s 3Q delivery number with improving demand out of China. Getting back to a ~500k quarterly run-rate will be important as Tesla now looks to introduce new models to its customer base in 2026. There continues to be weak pockets in Europe but we believe Tesla is now starting to see signs of improvement in demand with a stronger growth trajectory into 2026.” Tesla shares are up over 1.7 percent so far today, trading at around $430.

Touring BYD's HQ and Realizing the Technology Arsenal It Has (Part 1)

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. The gleaming brutalist structures of BYD’s global headquarters rise from Shenzhen’s Pingshan district — a monument to the company’s leadership in China’s electric vehicle ambitions. Walking through the sprawling complex, past rows of pristine EVs and technology exhibits, as well as its own monorail traversing the company facilities (they also call it a campus), it’s hard to miss the message: this isn’t just another car company trying to go electric. This is something different entirely. Inside the BYD SkyRail monorail train. (Photo for CleanTechnica by RGBT.) The BYD SkyRail on display inside the BYD HQ in Shenzhen. (Photo for CleanTechnica by RGBT.) At a packed media conference in one of BYD’s presentation halls, surrounded by colleagues from the Philippines, Liu Xueliang, General Manager of BYD’s Asia-Pacific Auto Sales Division, was ready to answer like an industry disruptor or startup would — opening its doors to scrutiny. My question was direct: How does BYD’s patent strategy actually work in practice? Liu’s answer revealed the engine behind one of the world’s most remarkable corporate success stories. The patent fortress strategy “Our deep vertical integration, enabled by our extensive patent portfolio, ensures we have unparalleled control over our supply chain and costs,” Liu explained to CleanTechnica, his tone measured but confident. “This is crucial for delivering quality and value to our customers.” Liu Xueliang, general manager of BYD Asia Pacific Auto Sales Divisionm at a press conference which hosted 42 journalists from the Philippines. (Photo for CleanTechnica by author.) What he was describing isn’t just corporate strategy — it’s economic warfare. In an industry where supply chain disruptions can cripple production for months, BYD has built something approaching self-sufficiency. Its patent portfolio, numbering in the thousands, doesn’t just protect individual innovations. It safeguards an entire ecosystem. The implications became clearer as Liu continued. “The strategic monetization and licensing of our core technologies, such as the Blade Battery, not only generate additional revenue but also validate the global relevance and superior performance of our innovations.” This is where BYD’s approach diverges sharply from that of traditional automakers. While legacy companies often rely heavily on supplier relationships, BYD patents everything from raw material processing to final assembly techniques. It’s vertical integration on a scale that would make Henry Ford envious — and it’s all protected by intellectual property law. The Crown Jewels: BYD’s game-changing technologies The Blade Battery: Rewriting safety rules Walking through BYD’s battery testing facility, you can’t help but notice the confidence with which engineers handle their Blade Battery cells. There’s good reason for this: these batteries have become legendary for surviving tests that destroy conventional lithium-ion cells. The Blade Battery represents BYD’s most significant patented breakthrough. Using lithium-iron=phosphate (LFP) chemistry arranged in long, flat cells, it maximizes space utilization while dramatically improving safety. The famous “nail penetration test” — where engineers literally drive a nail through the battery — has become BYD’s calling card. While other batteries burst into flames, the Blade Battery barely gets warm. A display of BYD bus scale models, including London EV buses 90% of which are either new or run on BYD electric platforms. (Photo for Cleantechnica by author) But the real innovation lies in the manufacturing patents. BYD has protected not just the cell design, but the entire production process that makes these batteries economically viable at scale. It’s this combination of safety and cost-effectiveness that’s allowing BYD to challenge Tesla’s dominance in multiple markets. e-Platform 3.0: The hidden architecture Less visible but equally crucial is BYD’s e-Platform 3.0, a modular architecture that integrates all key EV components into a cohesive system. The centerpiece is what BYD calls its “8-in-1 Electric Powertrain” — a marvel of engineering that combines motor, transmission, and control systems into a single compact unit. The efficiency gains are remarkable. By integrating components that other manufacturers source separately, BYD reduces weight, cuts costs, and improves performance. More intriguingly, the platform includes vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, effectively turning every BYD vehicle into a mobile power station. During the conference, Liu emphasized this capability. “Our vehicles aren’t just transportation — they’re part of the energy ecosystem.” It’s a vision that patents make possible, protecting BYD’s ability to differentiate its products in ways competitors struggle to replicate. DM-i: Reimagining the hybrid BYD Sealion 5 DM-i in a media test drive. (Photo from AC Mobility BYD Philippines.) Perhaps most impressive is BYD’s DM-i (Dual Mode Intelligent) technology, which turns conventional hybrid thinking on its head. While most plug-in hybrids use their gasoline engines to directly drive the wheels, BYD’s system prioritizes electric propulsion almost exclusively. The gasoline engine functions primarily as an efficient generator, extending range when needed. The result? Fuel consumption figures that seem almost impossible — some DM-i vehicles achieving over 2,000 kilometers of range while consuming less than 4 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers in hybrid mode. These aren’t just engineering achievements; they’re patent-protected advantages that competitors cannot easily copy. Beyond Cars: The broader empire What struck me most during the visit to the headquarters was the sheer scope of BYD’s operations. The automotive division may grab headlines, but the company’s patent strategy extends across multiple industries, each reinforcing the others. The battery division, BYD’s original business, now supplies energy storage systems for everything from residential solar installations to utility-scale grid storage. These aren’t just scaled-up car batteries — they’re purpose-built systems protected by patents covering everything from thermal management to modular design. More surprisingly, BYD remains a major supplier to global electronics companies, manufacturing components for smartphones and other devices. The precision manufacturing capabilities developed for electronics inform their automotive production, while automotive innovations find applications in consumer devices. Perhaps most ambitious is SkyRail, BYD’s elevated monorail system designed to address urban congestion. During the tour, executives explained how SkyRail leverages the same battery and electric drive technologies that power their vehicles, but adapted for public transit. The entire system — from track structure to autonomous controls — is patent protected,

‘I wouldn't say it's business as usual’: Prevalon on impacts of OBBB

Cornell expands on this and offers insight into what Prevalon is doing to try to secure its business not only in the US but globally. The company has multiple projects in Chile and is looking to expand its offerings in the country. In October 2023, Prevalon delivered the 50MW/250MWh Salvador 1 BESS to developer and operator Innergex. In May 2024, the company delivered the 35MW/175MWh San Andres 1 BESS to Innergex. Both projects are situated in Chile. In November 2024, it was announced that Prevalon would also provide the BESS for separate grid-connected projects co-located with the San Andres 1 and Salvador 1 projects. Market Impacts Prevalon’s President says, “I wouldn’t say it’s business as usual for sure. OBBB is definitely going to have some impacts.” “Our project mix includes hybrid with solar and standalone storage projects. The customers doing hybrid projects are trying to figure out their long-term path. Near term, everybody’s doing the same thing—Safe Harbour. We’re going to have a backlog of Safe Harbor projects that will carry us for some time, while we all figure out what we will do with the supply chains and what we will do longer term.” “In parallel with that, we’ve also got the data centre market, which has really taken off, and that’s compensating for what we’re seeing with the slowdown with OBBB,” he notes. BloombergNEF analyst Isshu Kikuma noted that forecasts indicate a significant load growth over the next decade, mainly fuelled by data centres. This growth is so substantial that it will likely require substantial involvement of energy storage to meet the demand. Prevalon is currently working on two data centre projects, each of which, Cornell notes, will be greater than 1000MWh. The CEO says, “They’re very large projects with different use cases for the batteries. The batteries on those are going to be anywhere from probably 500MW to 600MW with a two-hour duration.” “The gas turbines are going to be at base load, so they’ll be fixed, but the data centre load swings based on the level of computing that’s going on, and the batteries are going to be there to pick up and match the load.” However, data centres’ rapid development is causing interconnection delays. As noted by market intelligence firm Wood Mackenzie in June, “Since October, the long load queues have grown even longer. Wait times for grid connection have increased.” This creates a larger issue for markets like the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), which, in 2024, had changes approved to its interconnection process by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in large part because the sheer number of interconnection requests was becoming unmanageable. Cornell expresses concern over the possibility of further delays, stating, “I think everybody’s been following the existing process, but now the question is, are they going to declare an emergency?” He continues, “Then, the data centres are going to move to the front of the line, or some of these gas assets are being moved to the front. Especially now, the government has really hampered wind and solar. Most of the queues, if you look at them over the next five years, are flooded with wind and solar energy, mainly solar projects, and then gas is beyond that.” “Now, you take solar out of the mix, and you cannot build gas generation fast enough. What are people left to do?” The Prevalon CEO also expressed frustration at the Trump administration’s executive order on wind energy projects and actions such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issuing a stop work order for the nearly complete Revolution Wind project. “Cancelling a wind project that’s 80% built raises questions. That’s important generation capacity we need. Even if wind isn’t your preference, stopping a project this advanced doesn’t make sense. A reasonable compromise and phased approach should be considered, allowing the market time to adjust. Phasing out energy sources gradually is better than abrupt cancellations.” Cornell continued, “I’ve worked in nuclear, coal, gas, renewables, everything. You’re not going to build new nuclear in the next 10 years. You’re not going to build new gas in the next four or five years. That’s not going to happen, period.” At least in the case of the Revolution project, a federal judge recently lifted the stop work order, and construction is planned to resume shortly. The administration has also caused a significant stir for energy storage supply chains, in an effort to encourage US domestic manufacturing. Contract manufacturing Cornell says that Prevalon uses contract manufacturing with Clou Electronics as well as manufacturing companies in the US and “areas of Southeast Asia, parts of North America.” He says, “For the US, with OBBB, it’s basically a blending of product ratios that we’ve got to manage. How do we dance and do that blending in the most efficient way possible?” FEOC restrictions stipulate that individuals or entities receiving material assistance—such as products and services—from the designated countries in the bill above a certain threshold will be ineligible for tax incentives. This policy is anticipated to broadly impact Chinese companies or those with more than 20% Chinese ownership starting from the end of this year. Cornell explains of Prevalon’s take, “We still need the guidance. We don’t have true guidance on how to interpret the bill. Unlike other bills passed in our industry, it’s very specific, but there is still some guidance necessary when it comes to ownership structures, blending ratios, use of raw materials, and traceability.” He highlights, “Some of the manufacturers we were talking to in the US that are Chinese are going to have to sell down their facilities, like 80% to get under that 20% threshold. We don’t know the rules around that. What’s the new ownership structure look like? Who could it be? Who could it not be? There are still a lot of unknowns.” While much of the conversation on FEOC, tariffs, and manufacturing applies to the US and China’s energy storage markets, the consequences are felt globally, which Cornell expands on.

Tesla gets new Street-high price target with high hopes for autonomy domination

Finance Commitments Under Energy Compacts Reach $1.6 Trillion

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. But we don’t seem to want that money. Information from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs speaks to the commitments made to how interested the world is in renewable energy and human well-being. It says: “New commitments to boost renewable energy and increase access to electricity and clean cooking technologies by 2030 have brought the finance and investment pledged through the United Nations to $1.6 trillion, with $284 billion already mobilized, according to the fourth edition of the Energy Compacts Annual Progress Report.” Just think of it! $1.6 trillion is a fair chunk of change. Of course it is not nearly as much as should be spent, but even if we were normal people in this country, we wouldn’t dwell on that. Instead, we would look forward to the various ways people all across the world would be buying American products. We would be making EVs aplenty and pallets of solar panels stretching to the horizon. We would have FFP batteries to power the world while the sun doesn’t shine. (Let’s be truthful about wind power: The wind always blows, if not here then somewhere close-by enough for cost-effective transmission.) The problem is that here in the US, we are not even close to normal. We are largely people who depend on the president of this country to make us great again. We have a sizable group, enough to sway an election, who want to make America independent of the rest of everything, meaning out of touch with what is going on in the world. It is a situation that proves, beyond doubt, that Donald Trump knows as little about business as he does about energy. An astute businessman does not try to sell a product by bullying his customers. Instead, he finds out what the customers want and supplies it. For $1.6 trillion, we should be setting up battery factories, instead of arresting the people who came to this country, with proper visas, to work on them. We should be making and promoting wind turbines, instead of telling everyone that they produce the most expensive electricity out there — the customers can look at the data and most already know that wind power firmed by batteries makes the least expensive power available. And in my opinion, we should be giving solar panels away like lollipops to children of bank customers. (Do they still do that? Or am I just getting old?) We don’t do those things. And so the world is turning to China for its energy supplies — and for its inspiration. And it’s going to China to spend its money. Just think of $1.6 trillion — what would the Chinese do with all that money? (My guess is that it would rebuild Ukraine. Putin can’t last forever, and neither can his war.) The fact is, Donald Trump is not just a net-zero businessman. He has bankrupted businesses, an ability that he seems to be translating into working on the whole country. He is a net-zero president — or worse. His tariffs are making people people stop importing in many cases. In some cases, it is even sending businesses out of the US to settle in places like Mexico or Canada. Meanwhile, the rest of us pay a lot more for a lot more than coffee. We can surmise beyond that. Not only is this country run by a loser, whose one business ability is limited to bullying people who might otherwise want to do business with him, it is run by a man who seems not to understand that if you want to do get people to deal with you, then start by finding out what they want, instead of trying to force products of your political supporters on them. Those of us who oppose the swamp Trump created in Washington, DC, can take heart. I doubt that his party can retain power very long. His cabinet is mostly made up of people whose prior experience in government was talking about it on television, agreeing with his positions. It fails on a daily basis. Fair disclosure: I was a Republican until 2004, when I came to believe that the party leadership was concealing climate change. And I was a life member of the NRA until 2016, when it endorsed a man I already believed was an obvious con artist to be president of the US. What good will the Second Amendment be, when the Constitution is terminated? Featured image: Wind turbines by Abby Anaday, via Unsplash Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and follow us on Google News! Advertisement Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here. Sign up for our daily newsletter for 15 new cleantech stories a day. Or sign up for our weekly one on top stories of the week if daily is too frequent. CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here. CleanTechnica's Comment Policy

Georgia Power announces 2025 RFP for 500MW of BESS

Georgia Power announces 2025 RFP for 500MW of BESS - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content

Tesla has a new first with its Supercharger network

China’s regulatory agency handling automotive concerns has released a draft on what it is considering to be standard for door handle designs on vehicles, following some scrutiny it placed upon Tesla’s designs. Over the past few weeks, we have reported on two different criticisms Tesla has faced with its door handle designs, one in China and one in the United States. Both will require the company to come up with solutions and potentially new engineering. Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen appeared on Bloomberg last week and said the company is already looking to implement something that will bring together the mechanical and electrical releases that the door handles depend on. Tesla addresses door handle complaints with simple engineering fix Some vehicles in the Tesla lineup already have mechanical latches on all four doors to enable them to open in the event of a dead battery. However, there are some additional measures that need to be taken. The first guidelines are being released by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which composed a draft called “Technical Requirements for Automobile Door Handle Safety.” 🚨 It sounds like some changes will be coming to Tesla’s door handles in China The MIIT wrote in a new case study that it’s requiring a change to prevent getting locked in the car: “[The] operating space must be ≥60mm×20mm×25mm (roughly the space for a palm to maneuver).” — TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 24, 2025 There are a handful of new standards, including a required mechanical release for every door on the vehicle apart from the trunk. Additionally, there are some other requirements, such as the ability to open side doors from the external handles without the use of tools. Here are the six guidelines that the MIIT are mulling as requirements (via CarNewsChina): Every door (excluding trunk lids) must feature an external handle with mechanical release functionality In case of accidents involving battery thermal events, non-collision side doors must be openable through external handles without tools External door handles must provide adequate hand operation space of at least 60mm×20mm×25mm, regardless of handle position Every door must include internal handles with mechanical release capability that can open doors without external tools If electric internal handles are installed, mechanical backup handles must also be provided Internal handles must be easily identifiable, clearly visible, positioned within 300mm of door edges, and located within specific zones relative to seating positions These new standards were developed by the China Automotive Standardization Research Institute, and Deputy Director Rong Hui stated that the organization used 63 vehicle models from 20 different companies to establish these early requirements: “With the development of automotive electrification, electric concealed door handles have been widely adopted, and the operation methods and structural types of door handle products on the market are increasingly diverse. These standards aim to respond to new technologies and safety requirements.” The MIIT also did its own research, which utilized 230 different vehicle models’ door handle configurations. Validation testing was performed on more than 20 models. Tesla’s Planned Adjustments Based on what von Holzhausen said, Tesla plans to make some adjustments to its door handles, implementing simple fixes. Tesla plans to combine both the mechanical and electrical releases to help reduce stress in “panic situations.” Franz said the company has a “really good solution for that.” In regard to the mechanical release, he said, “it’s in the cars now…The idea of combining the electronic and the manual one together in one button, I think, makes a lot of sense.”

The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station (CleanTechnica Tested)

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. Anker is one of the most trusted names in consumer electronics, and has made a massive push into the portable power station business over the last few years. Over the last few weeks, I’ve upgraded all of our home chargers to Anker’s 47-watt wall connectors, their 100-watt charging blocks, and picked up a five-pack of their 100-watt USB-C cables. These are items I purchased with my own money, and I have been buying them for years because, in my experience, they are some of the best on the market. Anker reached out about a new addition to their family — a compact, 1 kilowatt-hour portable power station called the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2. As the name implies, this is the second iteration of the SOLIX C1000 and it has a number of improvements that it’s bringing forward in this new version. Right out of the gate, this portable power station is a great size. At just 24.9 lb, it’s one of the more portable units we’ve tested while still maintaining a hefty power output capability of 2,000 watts. It’s easy to lift up with one hand, and it’s compact size makes it easy to bring along on your latest adventure. Impressively, the unit is also able to charge from an AC wall outlet at just over 1,200 watts in normal mode. That means you can recharge it in around an hour, with charging speeds being higher at low state of charge and slowing down as the unit fills up. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica Anker wasn’t satisfied with normal wall charging and offers a 1,600 watt and an 1,800 watt ultra fast charging option. That translates to a full charge from 0 to 100 in 49 minutes, which borders on ridiculous. In reality, though, this is fantastic, as you can stop off at a coffee shop and recharge the unit while you enjoy your favorite hot beverage before hitting the road again. When it’s charging at such a high rate, the Anker SOLIX C1000 has integrated fans that kick on and make it sound like the unit is going to take flight. Similarly, it can gulp down the solar power with a maximum solar input of 600 watts. When it comes time to use your stored power, you can use one of the four 15 amp AC outlets on the front of the unit or the single 20 amp AC outlet. It also features three USB-C outlets and one USB-A outlet on the front of the unit. They are conveniently located next to the beautiful integrated color display and the power button. The front of the unit features 4 USB outlets, the power button, and an easy-to-read color display. App connectivity makes it easy to keep the unit up to date with firmware updates, as shown here. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica On top of the unit, two handles stick out on either side which provide a secure place to pick up the unit and can also serve double duty if you need to tie the unit down to a molle panel or to the bed of a truck. On the right side of the unit, a 12-volt automotive outlet allows you to push out 12 volts to any automotive appliances you want to run off of the battery. On the left side of the unit, you can find the AC input which charges via the included standard three-wire AC cable as well as an XC60 input where you can charge it up from DC sources. Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica The Anker SOLIX C1000 comes with a 12-volt automotive adapter with an XC60 on the other side that can plug directly into the unit. To use solar panels to charge the Anker SOLIX C1000, you’ll need to purchase an adapter from the pair of mc4 connectors on a standard solar panel to the DC power XC60 input on the C1000. This is very common and allows A wide range of solar panels to be used with the unit. The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 uses next-generation iron-phosphate, aka LFP, chemistry. This is the most stable battery chemistry being used at scale today and also supports a very large number of charge cycles. Specifically, this unit can support 4,000 charge cycles, which is excellent. That’s the equivalent of nearly daily charging for 12 full years. Testing We put the Anker SOLIX C1000 to the test around the house and found that its 2,000 watt power output capability was more than sufficient. Modern portable power station hardware like this unit has such fast charging and discharging rates that the capacity really becomes the constraint. To test cycling, we got out for a 4-day overlanding trip from our home base in Southern California up into the mountains of Utah above Cedar City. The inverter in the Cybertruck is not terribly efficient, so using it to power overlanding gear like refrigerators that need to run 24/7 is a waste of power. Using a compact efficient portable power station like the Anker SOLIX C1000 as a buffer lets you charge up the unit when you’re supercharging the truck and then run the refrigerator directly off of the portable power station for the rest of the time. Over the 4 days of traveling from Southern California up into Utah back west into eastern Nevada and then up into the mountains above Cedar City, the Anker SOLIX C1000 performed flawlessly. The bright screen made it easy to check the charge status in person, while the app made it an easy task from the front seat. Using a portable power station like this is not traditional but solves a very real problem. It’s compact size made it an easy tool to add to the kit, and improved my overall efficiency in the Cybertruck for the duration of the adventure. Overall The Anker SOLIX C1000 packs a ton of power output and energy storage into a

Elon Musk trolls Tesla $TSLA stock skeptics after 23% one month boost

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has finalized a major agreement with Elon Musk’s xAI, making its Grok artificial intelligence models available to government agencies nationwide. Announced on Thursday, the deal provides access to Grok at $0.42 per organization, one of the lowest pricing structures yet for AI services under GSA’s OneGov initiative. The contract runs until March 2027, marking the longest term for a OneGov AI agreement to date. Low-cost access The agreement covers both Grok 4 and Grok 4 Fast, xAI’s advanced reasoning models, and includes dedicated engineering support for agencies adopting the tools, the GSA stated in a press release. Federal offices will also be able to pursue upgrade paths to enterprise subscriptions aligned with FedRAMP and Department of Defense security standards. To make adoption easier, xAI will deliver training programs and tailored enablement services, helping agencies integrate AI models into existing workflows securely. The GSA emphasized that the contract is designed to accelerate responsible AI use while standardizing pricing and avoiding duplicative procurement deals across the government. Federal Acquisition Service Commissioner Josh Gruenbaum is optimistic about Grok’s use in the federal government. “Widespread access to advanced AI models is essential to building the efficient, accountable government that taxpayers deserve—and to fulfilling President Trump’s promise that America will win the global AI race. We value xAI for partnering with GSA—and dedicating engineers—to accelerate the adoption of Grok to transform government operations,” he stated. Expanding AI access The Grok agreement is part of the broader OneGov Strategy, which was launched earlier this year to modernize federal technology acquisition. Under the initiative, agencies gain access to AI tools from leading providers at negotiated rates, ensuring consistent pricing and simplified procurement. Companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta have signed similar deals, but xAI’s contract is currently the longest in duration and lowest in cost. For context, OpenAI is charging government agencies $1 per year for ChatGPT, as noted in a Bloomberg News report. Elon Musk, for his part, is grateful for the opportunity to use Grok in the federal government. “xAI has the most powerful AI compute and most capable AI models in the world. Thanks to President Trump and his administration, xAI’s frontier AI is now unlocked for every federal agency empowering the U.S. Government to innovate faster and accomplish its mission more effectively than ever before,” he said. xAI cofounder Ross Nordeen also shared his thoughts about the matter. “‘Grok for Government’ will deliver transformational AI capabilities at $0.42 per agency for 18 months, with a dedicated engineering team ensuring mission success. We will work hand in glove with the entire government to not only deploy AI, but to deeply understand the needs of our government to make America the world leader in advanced use of AI,” he said.

Victoria the first Australia state to cross 1GW BESS charging

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Battery Power Online | Follow the Money: Silicon, BESS Acquisition, Batteries in the Kitchen

By Allison Proffitt September 4, 2025 | Funding rounds this month in the battery space include big money for silicon battery materials, a push into battery-operated kitchen appliances, zinc gel lithium replacement, and more. $463M: Series D for Silicon Battery Materials Group14 Technologies has closed a US$463M round led by SK, Inc., with strong participation of other existing investors, including Porsche Investments, ATL, OMERS, Decarbonization Partners, Lightrock Climate Impact Fund, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and others. The funds will be used to continue scaling the manufacture of Group14’s silicon battery material, SCC55, in the U.S. and South Korea, and help meet overwhelming demand amid surging requirements for energy storage worldwide. In addition, Group14 obtained full ownership of its joint venture with SK Inc., located in Sangju, South Korea. Formed in 2021, the joint venture’s battery active materials (BAM) factory produces Group14’s flagship technology, SCC55, at EV scale to support the global battery manufacturing industry. Press release. $28M: Series A for Induction Ranges and Other Battery-Operated Kitchen Appliances Copper is closing a $28 million Series A financing to expand its operations beyond its induction ranges and launch a new category of battery-equipped home appliances. The internal battery gives a performance boost and supports the grid and avoids expensive electrical upgrades to buildings. The financing, a combination of equity and debt, was led by Prelude Ventures, which invests in startups with the greatest potential to mitigate climate change. The round also includes Building Ventures, as well as existing investors Voyager, Collaborative Fund, Climactic, Designer Fund, Necessary Ventures, Leap Forward Ventures, and Climate Capital. Press release. $15M: Series A for Zinc Gel Lithium Replacement Offgrid Energy Labs has raised $15 million in a funding round led by Archean Chemical Industries Limited, with participation from existing investor Ankur Capital. The Noida-based startup plans to use the fresh funding to establish a pilot manufacturing facility in the United Kingdom within the next 12 months, expand its research and development (R&D) capabilities, and commercialize its zincgel batteries, according to Economic Times. Read story. $14M: Series B for Chinese Ronghe Yuanchu completed a Series B financing round exceeding 100 million yuan, with joint investment from CIMC Capital, Yongkang Industrial Investment, and Yuanxin Capital. Leveraging this opportunity, Ronghe Yuanchu will promote innovation in energy storage products and technologies, deepen its full-lifecycle operational capabilities for energy storage assets, and accelerate its overseas energy storage market expansion, further consolidating its leading position in the global energy storage sector. Read story. $11M: Series A for Cleantech Cooling in Africa Koolboks, a cleantech venture operating in Nigeria and France, has secured $ 11 million in Series A financing to expand its cooling-as-a-service model across Africa and establish its inaugural assembly facility in Nigeria. The round was spearheaded by KawiSafi Ventures, with co-lead investment from Aruwa Capital and All On—both of which supported Koolboks during its 2022 seed round. In regions such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, access to dependable cooling can determine whether a vendor preserves produce or watches it spoil—or whether a clinic maintains vaccines or loses them to power interruptions. Koolboks is positioning its solar‑powered freezers, coupled with innovative financing and IoT oversight, as essential infrastructure that makes cooling both fair and accessible. Read story. $7M: Series A and Acquisition for BESS Palmer Energy Technology Limited (PETL), a UK maker of Battery Energy Storage Systems founded by former Aston Martin CEO and Nissan COO has acquired Brill Power. The acquision is backed by a €5.7 million Series A funding round. FirstGroup Energy Limited, Barclays Climate Ventures, and the University of Oxford co-led the investment. Brill Power is an Oxford University spin‑out known for cell‑level control and active balancing technology in battery management systems. PETL will embed Brill Power electronics across its systems with immediate effect. The deal brings together PETL’s automotive‑grade battery storage systems and Brill Power’s sophisticated control platform that improves battery safety and extends service life by drawing the optimum current from each cell based on its state of health. Read story.

Tesla Service just made a simple change for iOS users that makes a big difference

Tesla has improved the transparency and communication it has with customers when their vehicles are being serviced with a very simple addition to its app. The addition will only impact iOS users as it utilizes Apple’s Live Activities feature, which is utilized for other Tesla features, most notably during Supercharging to alert owners of their state of charge, charging rate, session cost, and time remaining. Now, Tesla is using the Live Activities feature of iOS to alert customers of the status of a repair through Service, something that definitely improves the overall interaction between the owner and the company. The Live Activities will now provide owners with a quick view of the service status on their vehicle, including the expected arrival time of the repair technician, the actual arrival time, and the estimated completion time. Credit: @robkten | X It also uses Apple’s Dynamic Island for an even more streamlined look at repair status. The change was first noticed by Not a Tesla App. Some owners have said that the change has been available for about two months, but we had also not noticed it until now. Tesla has been working to improve its Service division, especially over the past few months, as Raj Jegannathan, Vice President of IT/AI-Infra, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, has revealed the company is working to make things easier for owners. It is no secret that getting in touch with Tesla Service is easier said than done. In fact, CEO Elon Musk has even had to step up on X to get some issues resolved. Elon Musk is stepping up for Tesla Service in a big way But Tesla has done a good job of confronting the shortcomings, especially when it comes to communication between the Service Center and owners. It started a pilot program at select service locations that shared local and regional leader contact information so customers could reach out if they had an issue with diagnostic, warranty, or estimate issues. Tesla also enabled an extended in-app messaging option, which gives owners 24 hours to contact Service regarding any complaints they might have. Previously, the messaging option was only available for two hours. The small change made to utilize Live Updates gives Tesla owners the opportunity to peek at their Service status without being overly communicative and pestering employees. It’s a small change, but it’s a good one. Unfortunately, it is not available for Android users quite yet.

Fourth Power, Unbound Potential and XL Batteries raise financing

Fourth Power, Unbound Potential and XL Batteries raise financing - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content

Battery Power Online | Highlights from 2025 Solid-State & Sodium-Ion Battery Summit

By Kyle Proffitt September 4, 2025 | The annual Solid-State & Sodium-Ion Battery Summit was held August 12-13 in Chicago, IL, with the solid-state and sodium-ion discussions split into two separate tracks. Although they overlap, sodium-ion is primarily looking to beat LFP as a low cost and plentiful alternative, whereas solid-state promises to supplant some of the currently-best technology. OEM auto manufacturers, startup battery companies, academics, and government representatives all joined to discuss the state of affairs, predict the future, and dispense advice. Solid-state batteries are billed as the future for several reasons. They offer high energy density by enabling some cathode and anode solutions otherwise difficult to implement, they promise inherent safety by removing flammable electrolyte, and they might improve charging speeds if some issues of ion conductivity and interfacial resistance can be solved. But how soon will they be mainstream? Halle Cheeseman of ARPA-E kicked off the solid-state section by providing his view of progress. In short, he sees an “inevitable” future for solid-state batterys in EVs and elsewhere, but he cautions that the road is not direct or imminent. Any new battery chemistry needs to really do something that today’s lithium-ion battery cannot, not just match demand. “If your solid-state architecture is trying to sell 400 Wh/kg… that’s no longer competitive,” he said. Cost must also continue to drop to reach a mainstream EV market, and in the meantime, he advised that beachhead markets are necessary to prove technology and grow revenue. He suggested eVTOLs, drones, robots, stationary energy storage, and space applications as potential markets. Cheeseman chided that “there has not been a successful U.S. battery start-up in the last 25 years.” Asia is beating us with their large, established companies. He showed the example of CATL, which employs 20,000 people in R&D and spends $2.5 billion per year. In contrast, he said in all of the U.S., there are about 20,000 people signed up for the Volta foundation, but they are working on a host of different specific projects. To bridge this gap, he suggested that collaboration is key and that we must find ways to speed processes, to learn fast and fail faster so time is not wasted, and to leverage AI in chemical process development. Simon Buderath of P3 Group explained that solid-state is so attractive to EVs because it can potentially solve obstacles around vehicle range and charging. That’s largely because solid-state can improve and/or enable the utilization of silicon and lithium metal anodes, which promise up to 10-fold increases in energy storage capacity within the anode. Cost is a big issue though, because the price also shoots up, such that the cost per unit of energy storage at least doubles when moving from graphite to lithium metal anode. However, the anode is not the full picture, so for the complete battery pack, Buderath showed a calculation of $110/kWh with a current battery vs. $129/kWh in an all-solid-state formulation. With price remaining a major hindrance to EV adoption, this is not yet a formula for mainstream solid-state adoption. Conceivably, economies of scale and process efficiencies will minimize cost differences, gains will be made with lighter and smaller packs composed of higher energy density materials, and mainstream adoption can occur. According to Buderath, China has a 3-step formula, as they lead the solid-state battery race. With this approach, step 1 maintains status quo, 200-300 Wh/kg, using NMC cathode and silicon-carbon anode, but introduces a sulfide-based solid electrolyte. This is starting now with a pilot line from BYD; pilot line announcements also came from Hyundai and Honda this year. Stage 2 will involve ramping to 400 Wh/kg from 2027-2030 using more silicon, and stage 3 will finally target 500 Wh/g from 2030-2035 using lithium metal anode. The staging approach should allow processes and scaling to be worked out while solid-state safety and longevity are established; then the major gains can come. On the whole, Buderath predicted that we are still a few years out. “Announcements now are getting a little bit clearer in terms of timing to mass production, and that’s 2027-2030 as an outlook,” he said. Given this background, Battery Power Online saw a few technologies to watch. Veteran Player, Updated Chemistry Blue Solutions is a veteran of solid-state, and Head of Business Development Adrian Tylim rehearsed their history, having had solid-state cells operating in commercial buses for 10 years and having completed production of more than 3 million cells. Those cells primarily used LFP cathode, a solid polymer electrolyte, and lithium metal foil anode. They aren’t terribly high density, but they fit the purpose for commercial urban buses. Blue Solutions is currently working on Gen 4, which retains the lithium metal foil, now squeezed to less than 20 µm (“going from 60 microns to 20 microns is extremely difficult,” Tylim said), and solid polymer electrolyte, but is cathode-agnostic, supporting LFP, LMFP, and NMC variants with promised energy density of 315, 350, and 450 Wh/kg, respectively. This approach allows them to serve markets “from the Fiat to the Ferrari,” according to Tylim. Their approach also dispenses with copper as the anode current collector; the lithium metal foil does this job. Blue Solutions is banking on polymer electrolyte to win the solid-state race. “We choose a polymer electrolyte because of the integration and the manufacturability at scale,” Tylim said. “It has sort of a sticky surface that conforms very well to both the cathode and the anode side.” This adhesion allows them to operate under ~2 atm of pressure, and Tylim showed postmortem analyses of cells that had cycled 1000 times with no evidence of dendrites or mossy lithium deposits. Although they are targeting >3C charging, 2C was the fastest charge rate for which data were shown. They have joint development agreements in place with 7 companies, including BMW and four more “top-tier automotive manufacturers”, and they are currently producing A samples for these companies. Electrolyte optimization is apparent, as previous generations required high temperature (80 °C) operation to offset low ionic conductivity,

Tesla is offering a crazy choice on Model 3 to help with end of quarter push

Tesla has been granted a new patent for its “Unboxed Process” of manufacturing, which aims to enhance affordability for customers by increasing efficiency at the manufacturing stage. This is one way the company aims to create a larger impact from start to finish, especially with upcoming vehicles. For those who are not familiar, the Unboxed Process was first unveiled by Tesla back in 2023 during its “Investor Day.” The company brought forth the idea that vehicle manufacturing could shift from traditional assembly lines, making production more efficient, more cost-effective, and more scalable for the future, especially with mass-market models like Cybercab. The process includes utilizing past methods that Tesla has brought into automotive manufacturing, including Gigacasting and structural battery integration, with more efficient “post-manufacturing” processes, like pre-painting. Tesla describes the main advantages in the patent: “The present disclosure relates to an automated system and method for assembling exterior vehicle parts to a vehicle assembly structure. The system utilizes an automated assembly cell with fixtures corresponding to each exterior vehicle part and references a global datum for precise alignment…The method improves assembly efficiency by compensating for substructure irregularities with an engineered adhesive gap and allows for continued assembly during adhesive curing through tacking operations.” Instead of traditional welding strategies, the company plans to use a different bonding method, through adhesives. The patent goes on: “In described examples, a modular vehicle architecture allows for the assembly of a vehicle in sections, which are then joined in a final assembly operation. This approach eliminates the traditional need for welding stamped panels and applying secondary coatings or painting at the full vehicle assembly level. Instead, the vehicle can be constructed in parts, with metal surface treatments like e-coating and painting applied beforehand.” The goal behind this manufacturing process is that Tesla will be able to build more vehicles at a faster rate for a lower price, something it believes it will need to accomplish as it addresses autonomy and Robotaxis, which are in higher demand. With this rate of speed of manufacturing, Tesla says traditional manufacturing methods have the potential consequence of “compounding errors,” as “any slight misalignment or variance can add up.” There is a refined focus on efficiency, while also recognizing the importance of build quality. This should eliminate most of the issues Tesla would confront with its current, more traditional, linear manufacturing processes.

Utility-Scale Batteries Are More Commonly Used For Price Arbitrage

Support CleanTechnica's work through a Substack subscription or on Stripe. Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Electric Generator Report. Data values: File 3.4—Energy Storage. In our annual survey of power plant activity, we ask operators of utility-scale batteries how they are using their systems, and one use case is increasingly prevalent: price arbitrage. Arbitrage involves buying electricity when prices are relatively low and selling that electricity when prices are high. Utility-scale battery systems can be used for many applications. In previous years, we asked operators to identify the ways they used their batteries. Common use cases included price arbitrage as well as frequency regulation, excess wind and solar generation, system peak shaving, load management, and more. Beginning with the 2023 survey, we asked operators to identify the primary use case for their battery system. Last year, operators responded that 66% of all utility-scale battery capacity had arbitrage among its uses and that 41% of the total capacity was primarily used for arbitrage. The next most common use case was frequency regulation, which was the primary usage for 24% of battery capacity. Frequency regulation involves maintaining the grid’s frequency of 60 cycles per second. In previous years, operators had reported that frequency regulation was the most common use case for their battery systems. Much of the United States’ utility-scale battery capacity is in the two electricity markets that cover much of California and Texas. At the end of 2024, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) reported 11.7 gigawatts (GW) of battery capacity, 43% of which was primarily used for arbitrage. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) reported 8.1 GW of battery capacity, half of which was primarily used for arbitrage. Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Electric Generator Report. Data values: File 3.4—Energy Storage. Principal contributors: Alex Mey, Owen Comstock Sign up for CleanTechnica's Weekly Substack for Zach and Scott's in-depth analyses and high level summaries, sign up for our daily newsletter, and follow us on Google News! Advertisement Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here. Sign up for our daily newsletter for 15 new cleantech stories a day. Or sign up for our weekly one on top stories of the week if daily is too frequent. CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here. CleanTechnica's Comment Policy

Capstone, Eurowind file 3.2GWh long-duration BESS project application with California Energy Commission

Capstone, Eurowind file 3.2GWh long-duration BESS project application with California Energy Commission - Energy-Storage.News Skip to content

Battery Power Online | Sodium-Ion at the 2025 Solid-State and Sodium-Ion Battery Conference

Kyle Proffitt September 22, 2025 | Delivering the featured presentation at the 2025 Solid-State and Sodium-Ion Battery Summit, Shirley Meng made a key statement for the sodium-ion community: “Sodium batteries is a long journey, but today I want to say that it is the next terawatt-hour technology; I am absolutely confident.” She continued, “Liquid or solid, sodium batteries have to play an important role in the energy transition.” Sodium-ion remains a relatively less proven technology, although research in the area dates back over 40 years. As lithium-ion found successes, sodium-ion largely faded from memory. However, the global availability and associated low cost of sodium make it very attractive as an alternative, provided that challenges such as energy density limits can be overcome. Sodium is both heavier and a fundamentally weaker reducing agent than lithium; it less easily gives up its electron, which translates to lower voltages for sodium-ion batteries, and that limits energy density. But sodium also has advantages. The larger cation is less strongly solvated, meaning in principle it can move more quickly through solvent, and this can translate to improved charge/discharge rates and low-temperature performance. Meng provided an example of how sodium lends itself better to fast charging in an anode-free setup. She first presented the successful creation of an anode-free, solid-state sodium-ion battery at the 2024 International Battery Seminar and Exhibit and published the work shortly after. Now she could explain a fortuitous benefit that made this easier. “In the sodium case, we are very lucky … It’s a critical property of the materials that it will automatically go for the high diffusion rate sodium (101) texture.” Effectively, the (101) crystal packing is less tightly packed than the (100) packing that lithium more naturally adopts, and ions can diffuse more easily. Also, “sodium is softer, and its mobility is higher, so low pressure cycling is possible. Even in the pellet cell, we go below 5 to 10 megapascal,” Meng said. Just last week, her group published a step forward for solid-state sodium-ion batteries. They developed a solid electrolyte that is rapidly cooled to lock in a metastable orientation with greatly improved sodium ion diffusion; that enabled coupling with a thick, high-areal-loading (45 mg/cm2) cathode material with good performance at subzero temperatures. While academic labs proceed, commercial ventures are accelerating. Chinese companies such as CATL, Farasis, and HiNa Battery have established sodium-ion manufacturing facilities and are including batteries with energy density up to 175 Wh/kg in EVs. The US company Natron Energy was slated to produce 24 GW of sodium-ion batteries annually for grid storage applications, but they ceased operations in early September related to funding issues. At the 2025 Solid-State and Sodium-Ion Battery Summit, we heard from several academic speakers about their fundamental research advancing the technology. More Manganese and Avoiding Structural Damage Hui (Claire) Xiong, Professor at Boise State University, presented some of the recent advances with sodium-ion batteries, taking aim at the cathode material with the use of Mn-rich layered oxide materials. She addressed a refrain being discussed: how are sodium-ion batteries going to compete with lithium-ion batteries? Her answer is that they don’t actually need to win. Sodium-ion, she says, should be considered an alternative that can satisfy some of the existing high demand for lithium-ion. “You can find the niche market … there’s other applications such as large-scale energy storage,” she added. She showed a graph of source material and lithium-ion battery costs over the last decade, revealing significant “price turbulence” based on global supply chains and announcements such as the recent closure of a CATL lithium mine in Yichun, China. She pointed to LFP dominance in the Chinese market and the difficulty in outperforming it on a cost/kWh basis but reminded the audience that LFP costs have also seen volatility. While they may not need to outcompete lithium-ion for every use, comparable energy density is certainly desirable, and Xiong believes we need all hands on deck to make this happen. “We need to have this concerted effort in the field, not just in academia—in industry as well as government support—in order for us to have innovation in the sodium field,” she said. Part of her solution is the inclusion of manganese, which is abundant, cheap, and less susceptible to price turbulence than nickel, cobalt, and lithium. Xiong presented results with a P2-type (prismatic Na coordination with 2 layers of transition metals per unit cell) layered oxide sodium-ion cathode containing 67% Mn and 33% Ni in the transition metal layers. She pointed out that, “You can almost make all the layered structures with the first row of the transition metals in the sodium system, as compared to lithium, you only have limited choice; that means we have a broader choice in terms of materials.” Unfortunately, the voltage profile for sodium layered oxide cells often looks like a “devil’s staircase” of discrete steps, unlike the smoother and more desirable voltage curve seen with lithium-ion cells. As Na+ ions are inserted and removed, they don’t just fit in uniformly—they order into specific sites between the layers of transition metals, coordinating with oxygen in different arrangements. When sodium is removed during charging, the resulting vacancies make it easier for the metal layers to slide over each other, which can change Na+ coordination geometry from prismatic to octahedral. The combined processes drive phase transitions that appear as steps in the voltage profile. Researchers also want to push higher voltages with sodium-ion to maximize energy density, but that can create electrolyte incompatibilities, metal dissolution, and oxygen release. Worse, the higher voltage causes structural changes that permanently limit sodium cycling. Xiong’s group discovered that they could perform a heat annealing step with their cathode and induce an “intergrowth framework” with both a “primary layered structure” and “secondary disordered rock-salt-like nano domains”—kind of a hybrid, more stable structure. Most importantly, this treatment allowed them to cycle sodium-ion cells 150 times between 2.0 and 4.3 V with 98% capacity retention and a smooth profile, whereas the untreated cathode only showed

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