QuantumScape Plans 100 MWh Battery Line for Data Centers and Defense
Key Facts
QuantumScape announced plans to establish a 100 MWh solid-state battery cell production line to meet demand from AI data centers and the aerospace and defense sectors, according to a company statement. It selected Germany's Mühlbauer Group as its partner to supply the cell assembly equipment needed for the planned project. The announced plans put data centers among the target markets for the company's cells, alongside aerospace and defense applications. The German partner's role covers equipment for the cell assembly stage, which the statement identified as part of preparations to equip the new line. QuantumScape aims to begin cell production on the line in 2028, according to the project's announced schedule.
The company said engineering work had begun on higher-throughput manufacturing processes and equipment in preparation for the planned line. This followed Mühlbauer's assessment of QuantumScape's pilot manufacturing processes as part of work on production scale-up requirements. The German group developed improvements to these processes to prepare them for scaling, according to the statement outlining progress in the collaboration. QuantumScape uses its "Eagle Line" pilot facility in San Jose to demonstrate the scalability of solid-state battery production. The facility relies on a high level of automation and serves a pilot role in the company's efforts to scale up manufacturing of these batteries.
For data center applications, QuantumScape says its "QS Power Block" design can deliver "4 times the power density and 5 times the runtime" compared with the benchmarks used. The announced performance results were based on prototype testing and simulated system configurations under controlled conditions, according to the company. The design's ultimate performance depends on system configuration, design and actual operating conditions. The energy storage system is designed to support an 800-volt direct-current electrical architecture, according to the company's product announcement. It can be adapted to different module and rack formats used in that architecture. QuantumScape also joined the Open Compute Project, which sets open standards for data center hardware.
On the financial front, QuantumScape's operating expenses totaled $92.4 million in the third quarter of 2026, according to its shareholder letter. The company posted a net loss of $84.5 million for the same period under generally accepted accounting principles. Its adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was $60.7 million in the third quarter. QuantumScape said this level of adjusted loss was in line with its expectations for the period. The company ended the quarter with liquidity of $819.8 million, according to the shareholder letter outlining its financial position alongside its manufacturing development plans. It maintained its 2026 adjusted EBITDA loss guidance at $250–275 million.
The company's capital expenditure totaled $4.4 million in the third quarter of 2026, according to details in the shareholder letter. That quarterly spending focused on the technology development roadmap and associated facilities, according to the company's description of how the funds were used. QuantumScape maintained its 2026 capital expenditure guidance at between $27 million and $37 million. In its dealings with customers and partners, customer billings totaled $9.8 million during the third quarter. This metric measures the value of invoices issued to customers and partners and does not equate to the company's accounting revenue. QuantumScape reported these billings as part of the same period's results in which it disclosed capital expenditure, losses and liquidity.
In automotive, QuantumScape plans to provide an update on its next technology platform, according to its shareholder letter. The forthcoming update will include details of its collaboration model with automotive customers, as well as the platform itself. The company selected the Solid-State Battery Symposium in Kyoto to present these developments in technology and customer collaboration. The scheduled presentation combines progress on the technology platform with its approach to relationships with automotive customers, according to the items the company outlined for the symposium. QuantumScape is scheduled to present these details during its participation in the symposium on November 11, 2026.