The EPP, S&D and Renew Europe groups have agreed a compromise that would replace the 2035 de facto combustion-engine ban with an 87.5% CO2 cut versus 2021, instead of the Commission's proposed 90%. Committee votes are planned for October, with a plenary vote expected in December 2026.
Europe set a September record with almost 600,000 EV sales, up 39% year-on-year, while North America fell 44% to about 130,000. Analysts attribute the drop mainly to a pull-forward effect before the expiry of the US federal EV tax credit.
Obrist Group and its subsidiaries Obrist Powertrain and Obrist Technologies have filed for insolvency with about 31.8 million euros in debt. The company, known for retrofitting EVs with a small range-extender generator, was hit by heavy development costs, failed investor talks, and Europe's shift toward battery-only vehicles.
TotalEnergies subsidiary Saft has opened new production lines in Bordeaux for semi-solid-state and sulphide-based solid-state cells, claimed to offer up to 50% higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion cells. The initial target market is mainly aerospace.
Changan and CATL are expanding their Times Changan joint venture by 25 GWh to 75 GWh and collaborating on solid-state and sodium-ion cells. Changan's ‘Golden Bell’ cells are targeting over 1,500 km of range and a 30-80% charge in nine minutes, with commercial production planned for 2027.
Yinwang, CATL and Contemporary Energy Services have agreed a partnership integrating CATL's Choco swapping network with Huawei's Qiankun driving system across vehicles, stations and the cloud. The aim is to jointly expand battery-swapping and energy-replenishment services.
Elevra Lithium will supply 240,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate from its North American Lithium mine in Québec to LG Energy Solution over three years, with base volumes rising from 30,000 tonnes (2026) to 90,000 tonnes (2029) plus an optional extra tranche. The deal locks in a committed customer while keeping exposure to market pricing.
Global EV battery recycling capacity now exceeds the supply of retired packs, as slower EV adoption delays end-of-life volumes and scrap material concentrates toward China. Japanese metals producer JX Advanced Metals, which recovers lithium, nickel and cobalt, faces a tight supply of raw feedstock.
Japanese firm Green Science Alliance has opened a lab with the Swiss Battery Technology Center at the Switzerland Innovation Park in Biel/Bienne, researching direct recycling of cathode material from black mass. Early — so far independently unverified — results show cells made from recovered material reaching over 90% of original capacity.
The European Commission has selected 46 new Strategic Projects across 16 member states to secure supplies of battery, defence and magnet materials. Combined with projects chosen in 2025, these could meet the 2030 benchmarks for lithium, nickel, rare earths, magnesium and tungsten, and reach 89% of the cobalt-processing benchmark.
Producers and their take-back schemes must hit a 63% collection rate for portable batteries by end-2027, up from 48.8% in 2023. The calculation shifts from a three-year average including the reporting year to an average of the three preceding years, further complicated by the growing lifespan of lithium-ion batteries.
The European Commission's first five-yearly review of the EU Batteries Regulation, concluded on 11 September 2026, leaves all recycling targets unchanged, including 80% recycling efficiency for lead-acid batteries by end-2030 and 95% lead recovery by end-2031, which the Commission considers close to the technical limit.
This briefing is automatically compiled from publicly available sources. All information is provided without guarantee — please check original sources for binding information.