London – September 17, 2026 -- Echion Technologies and Energy Tech Solution (ETS) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop batteries built on Echion's XNO® niobium-based anode material, targeting mining, rail, maritime and datacenter customers that require high-intensity power performance.
ETS becomes first total battery solution provider in Echion's partner network
Seoul-based ETS, which also operates in Chungju, South Korea, and Detroit, will cover production line design, cell assembly equipment and Korea-based cell design R&D for XNO®. The company builds battery manufacturing equipment for startups and gigafactories and acts as a contract cell manufacturer for next-generation battery developers across Asia, Europe and North America.
ETS to allocate Chungju capacity for cylindrical, pouch and prismatic XNO® cells
Under the MOU, Echion will use ETS as a vetted contract manufacturing partner for demonstration cell production and design iteration. ETS will dedicate manufacturing capacity at its Chungju hub to customize XNO®-based cells into cylindrical, pouch and prismatic form factors, offering customers turnkey cell design and manufacturing services.
Partners target 50,000 cycles and 10C charge rates for niobium cells
ETS aims to demonstrate XNO®-based batteries with cycle stability of up to 50,000 cycles and charge rates as high as 10C, positioning the chemistry as a premium alternative to lithium-titanate (LTO) batteries in fast-charging, long-life applications.
"Echion has demonstrated incredible performance capabilities in our custom-designed cells," said ETS CEO Y.H. Kim. Echion CEO Jean de La Verpilliere said the partnership would give customers producing their own XNO® batteries the charging speed and cycle life required for demanding industrial operations.