Solid-state battery breakthrough could boost production by 25 times

QuantumScape, a solid-state battery developer, has announced a significant manufacturing breakthrough with its new "Cobra" process, which accelerates a critical heat-treatment step by approximately 25 times compared to its previous "Raptor" method. This step, known as sintering, is essential for producing the proprietary ceramic separator material at the core of QuantumScape’s lithium-metal solid-state batteries. The Cobra process not only speeds up production but also reduces the physical space required per unit, addressing key challenges in scaling up to gigawatt-hour level manufacturing and enabling more efficient, cost-effective battery production. With Cobra now established as the production standard on QuantumScape’s QS-0 assembly line, the company is advancing toward producing its next-generation B-sample cells. These B-samples represent a more mature design phase used for rigorous validation by automotive partners, marking a critical step toward commercial readiness. QuantumScape aims to leverage the improved throughput and scalability provided by Cobra to support higher-volume production and strengthen