Liquid electrolytes have been key EV batteries for some time now and the lithium-ion formula is the most important component. There are a lot of different formulae that do various things such as the removal of toxic inputs from the supply chain, or reductions in weight, elimination of fire hazards, and cutting costs.

The ultimate goal is to combine all these improvements in one electrolyte, but solid state or semi solid state batteries are appearing before that goal can be achieved and they promise to revolutionize the battery market. But, getting the electrons to move about within a solid is difficult at best. And that’s where Zwitterions come in.

Zwitterions are the building blocks of a new electrolyte created by a team of scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a branch of the US Department of Energy located in Tennessee. ORNL scientists believe that when changing the battery polymer by the interdiction of Zwitterions they can make significant improvements to batteries. But what is a Zwitterion? A Zwitterion is a molecule that contains both positive and negative charges but is overall electrically neutral.

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: While this technology is a few years away (it’s only in the early stages of research right now) it shows great potential in making solid state batteries actually work as designed.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

The technology works by making atomic sized holes in the graphene, which allows the aluminum ions to penetrate and be held in the graphene to make a higher energy density, thus enabling them to outperform standard lithium batteries.

Australia-based Graphene Manufacturing Group has reported a significant increase in the energy density of its graphene aluminum-ion battery technology, as it moves closer to commercialization of ultra-fast charging cells

Source: BEST Mag: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Graphene Manufacturing Group started developing prototypes back in 2021, so these improvements in energy density, along with rapid charging abilities, make graphene aluminum batteries a potential market disruptor.   PSR

For instance, in 2026, the U.S. critical minerals list include 60 minerals that companies in defense, agriculture, power, mining, and other industry sectors, need to get their jobs done. But spiking demand, restricted access, and rising prices can make it challenging to get these minerals

This is why experts at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) are researching other ways to make, mine for, or recycle these minerals. This article looks at three ways to get more of these precious minerals:

• How To Mine Metals From Seawater, Industrial Waste, and More
• An Economic Way To Recycle Graphite
• Supply Chain Recipes To Cut Costs and Energy

Source: Clean Technica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Given the Chinese near monopoly on Rare Earths and the resulting global supply constraints there is a big rush to secure supplies of critical minerals, and this is taking place all over the globe. Any way to improve access is vitally important.    PSR

CATL’s new battery expands its sodium-ion lineup beyond passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and auxiliary power, into utility-scale and commercial storage.

In terms of applications, the battery is aimed at utility-scale storage, renewable energy base projects, and AIDC (artificial intelligence data center), storage scenarios, according to CATL. Interestingly the battery pack has compatibility with CATL’s 587Ah Lithium battery.

Source: ESS News: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Sodium-ion batteries offer several advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries, namely that Sodium is more abundant and widely available than lithium, which reduces the cost of production and supply chain risks, and that Sodium batteries have a reduced environmental impact during disposal and recycling compared to lithium-ion batteries.   PSR

On  March 31, EU ministers met to discuss the global shortage of around 11million barrels of oil per day. At the meeting, European Commissioner Dan Jørgensen urged nations to outline measures to reduce the use of oil and gas, particularly in transportation. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused panic within Europe. As a result, the EU has been advised to consider biofuels as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Unlike America, Europe is struggling to find sources of oil that are either not in Russia nor the Middle East. As a result the European Union has been advised to look again at Biofuels.

The EU’s Renewable Energy Directive requires member states to achieve a 29% share of renewable energy in transport by 2030, including a sub-target for renewable hydrogen and advanced biofuels of 5.5%.

Source: MSN: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: The real question is can biofuels actually replace fossil fuels? While it is possible to grow high energy crops on some poor-quality land, it is generally viewed that biofuels are a niche option at best.    PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

China has also committed to installing 10,000 photovoltaic systems for isolated homes and critical facilities. China is also investing in Cuba’s wind farms.

Source: Clean Technica Read The Article

PSR Analysis: What makes this article interesting is one factor –President Trump has blocked Cuba’s access to cheap Venezuelan oil, and he has forced them to consider alternative sources of power. This comes just at the time when the US has attacked Iran and Iran has forced oil prices to grow dramatically. It turns out that while President Trump has pulled the USA back from renewables, he may just have given renewable and EVs the biggest growth boost it has ever had.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Refining battery metals in the US and Europe has been difficult to scale up because the more traditional refineries often require billions of dollars in upfront investment, take a long time to get all the necessary permits and require huge amounts of material in order to be profitable.

Nth Cycle says that its process is different and can be operated without the constraints of traditional refineries and is profitable at much smaller scales.

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: The world of battery recycling is developing at a fast rate but the real significance of this is the scale – despite being profitable at smaller scales, this deal is for thousands of tons of material.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

There seems to be a never ending cycle of oil-related problems. In 2008, supply, demand and speculation caused a massive price hike. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine causing another oil price hike. And now, the US-Israeli attack on Iran has driven yet another price hike. The fundamental problem is that transportation remains totally dependent on oil, and oil prices are set by a very volatile global market.

This whole problem has encouraged motorists to do the math, and the result is staggering. Motorists simply cannot afford not to buy an EV as their next vehicle. This article goes into the math behind this.

Source: Electrek: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: EVs cut across this problem, and it doesn’t impact them because electric prices are set nationally not by a very volatile global market and they are a fraction of gas prices. Electric prices are also a way out of oil dependence.      PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Volvo Construction Equipment has officially transitioned the A30 Electric and A40 Electric articulated haulers into serial production at its Braås site in Sweden. Originally unveiled as prototypes at bauma 2025, these machines represent the largest electric articulated haulers currently available on the global market, boasting payloads of 29 and 39 tons, respectively.

Designed for high-utilization environments like large-scale infrastructure projects and mining, the haulers offer up to six hours of operation on a single charge, depending on the application. The first production units are scheduled for delivery to customers in the United Kingdom and Norway this month.

This move solidifies Volvo’s commitment to lead the heavy-duty transition, moving beyond compact machines into the most energy-intensive segments of the construction industry.

Source: Volvo  Read The Article

PSR Analysis. The serial production of 40-ton electric haulers is a “proof of concept” for the entire European construction sector. For years, the industry argued that electrification was only viable for small excavators or urban projects; Volvo has now shattered that ceiling.

For competitors like Komatsu and Caterpillar, the pressure is now on to move their European fleets toward serial production rather than limited pilot programs. For fleet operators, the “total cost of ownership” (TCO) equation is shifting; while the upfront cost remains high, the reduction in fuel costs and maintenance for such high-utilization machines makes them increasingly attractive.

This is particularly relevant given the Industrial Accelerator Act’s focus on green procurement, as public infrastructure projects in Scandinavia and the UK are now likely to mandate zero-emission machinery of this scale.   PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager of European Operations at Power Systems Research

Simultaneously, KTM’s corporate structure shifted as Stephan Reiff (formerly of BMW Motorrad) officially assumed the role of Chief Commercial Officer on April 1. On the community front, KTM confirmed that the 2026 KTM Europe Adventure Rally in Gubbio, Italy, has reached near-capacity registrations.

These developments signal a move away from the “overproduction” issues of 2025 toward a leaner, premium-focused strategy centered on Austrian-made electric innovation and high-margin “Orange Family” events.

Sources: Bajaj, AutoEvolution, KTM   Read The Article, Read The Article, Read The Article

PSR Analysis.  The stabilization of KTM through Bajaj’s $642.72$ million USD (€550 million) refinancing and the Mattighofen hub expansion is a critical “rescue story” for the European motorcycle industry. By localizing the production of high-performance electric components like the Freeride E’s drivetrain in Austria, KTM is positioning itself to benefit from the EU Industrial Accelerator Act’s “Made in EU” incentives.

For the broader industry, KTM’s aggressive pivot to a “premium-core” strategy—divesting from bicycles and non-core sports cars—highlights a trend of consolidation among European motorcycle manufacturers facing pressure from Asian imports.

The successful registration of the Adventure Rally also underscores the rising importance of “experiential retail”; for players like BMW and Triumph, the message is clear: survival in the 2026 market depends as much on building a gated community of riders as it does on the technical specs of the bikes.

The integration of Indian financial capital with Austrian engineering creates a formidable competitor. KTM now possesses the scale of Bajaj Auto for global sourcing and the high-end R&D capability of Mattighofen for the European premium market. This “hybrid” model allows KTM to weather economic volatility better than it did as a standalone entity in 2024.

As the Freeride E hits dealerships this month, it serves as a laboratory for the next generation of electric street bikes. If KTM can successfully migrate this technology to a “Duke E” or “SMC E” platform by 2027, it will likely dominate the urban European motorcycle segment, particularly as cities tighten noise and emission regulations. For your newsletter, the key takeaway is that KTM has successfully “right-sized” and is now the leading European edge for electric off-road technology.  PSR

Emiliano Marzoli is Manager of European Operations at Power Systems Research