[China's March spodumene imports at 837,400 t (+50% MoM), ~81,000 t LCE]

Chinese battery maker Sunwoda unveiled its next-generation LFP battery, “Xingchi Supercharge 2.0,” during its Technology Day event. The key highlight of Xingchi 2.0 is its peak charging capability of up to 15C. Based on a 98.8 kWh battery, it can theoretically accept up to 1,482 kW of power. The showcased battery pack, built with 264 prismatic cells, operates under an 844.8V high-voltage system and can handle currents of up to 1,800A. It can charge from 5% to 75% in just 5 minutes and 30 seconds, with an average charging rate of 6.7C.

Hyundai Motor Group is set to begin operations at battery plants in Georgia, jointly established with LG Energy Solution and SK On, with one facility starting this month and the other later this year. Once fully ramped up, the group will secure annual EV production capacity exceeding 600,000 units in the U.S. LG Energy Solution’s plant will have an annual capacity of 30 GWh, supplying cells for models such as the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 produced at HMGMA. Meanwhile, SK On’s 35 GWh capacity will be converted into battery packs by Hyundai Mobis and fully supplied to Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis EVs manufactured in the U.S.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations jumped 51% in March across 15 major European markets, as renewed conflict in the Middle East brought renewed attention to oil dependence. According to data from New Automotive and E-Mobility Europe, around 224,000 new electric passenger cars were registered during the month, representing 22% of total sales in the monitored markets.