South 8 Technologies Initiates Volume Production of Extreme Cold Weather Lithium-Ion Batteries for Defense in San Diego
South 8 Technologies has commenced volume production of its ARCTIC™ AE35 18650 lithium-ion battery cells, designed for extreme cold weather conditions, at its San Diego, California facility. This milestone follows a $9.2 million PowerForward Battery Manufacturing Grant agreement earlier this year. The new semi-automated manufacturing line is set to support 5 MWh of annual cylindrical cell production by 2027. These batteries utilize a proprietary LiGas liquefied gas electrolyte, enabling reliable charge and discharge performance from -60 °C to +60 °C (-76 °F to +140 °F). The primary customers for these cells are defense contractors, including 3ME Technology and Galvion, who are developing LiGas-enabled battery solutions for demanding defense and cold weather applications such as unmanned systems, communications equipment, remote sensing, and soldier power.
