This is not the first time that we have talked to you about one of Honda’s commercial agreements with a company related to the technology sector. It is also not new that QuantumScape sign a collaboration contract with the leading two-wheeled brands in the world. However, this industrial union between the Japanese company and the Californian startup contains a broader meaning than we may initially think.
QuantumScape and solid state batteries
Let’s go in parts: What is QuantumScape and what exactly is it dedicated to? According to this North American company, its mission is to “revolutionize energy storage to enable a sustainable future”…Sounds nice, right? To achieve this, they claim to have been working on technology for several years. Next-generation solid-state lithium-metal batteries.
Its current model has been designed “to offer greater energy density, faster charging and greater security, thus supporting the transition from traditional energy sources towards a low-carbon future”they conclude. As we see, part of the slogan they proclaim is in line with the design and development program that Honda has been working on for years.
Previously, QuantumScape in collaboration with Ducati, Audi and PowerCo unveiled, on the occasion of the IAA Mobility show in Munich, the world’s first electric motorcycle equipped with a solid-state battery: the Ducati V21L. Regarding the energy source selected for this concept, it is known as QSE-5, and replaces conventional lithium with a solution with a lithium metal anode and ceramic separator.
The end result is greater energy density (844 Wh/L), ultra-fast recharges (from 10 to 80% in just 12 minutes), more safety and longer useful life. All this with a continuous discharge capacity of up to 10 C. A true revolution within the battery sector that demonstrates the technological capacity with which the North American company currently works.
Honda bets on diverse innovation
Months after demonstrating its potential in terms of industrial innovation, QuantumScape once again becomes a collaborative partner within one of the most ambitious technological projects of the leading company in the two-wheeled sector: Honda. Furthermore, this union shows us how the Japanese are clear about putting all their eggs in one basket.
Currently, the Japanese brand works hand in hand with leading companies in different types of projects, all of them focused on innovation. General Motors, Yuasa, CATL, Envision AESC or LG Energy Solution are some of them. Furthermore, as confirmed by Moto IT, “Since January 2025, Honda operates its own solid-state battery production line at its Sakura City plant in Tochigi Prefecture.”
As stated in the agreement between Honda and QuantumScape, its main objective is to promote “the QS battery platform by combining the contributions and expertise of both parties. The joint program includes a multi-year plan focused on the development of solid-state batteries and associated manufacturing processes.”
This confirms Honda’s strategy as a future project, with no intention of presenting new models equipped with this technology in the short term. In addition, the Japanese brand has carried out a technological evaluation with QS, “which included a comprehensive, hands-on technical study of QS’s solid-state technology platform, as well as competitive benchmarking on a series of standard technical tests”as confirmed by both parties.
Finally we must pay full attention to the statements of Atsushi OgawaDirector of Operations, Center of Research Excellence, Honda R&D Company, Ltd., who tells us that QuantumScape technology is suitable for different applications within the company: “We see potential in QS technology to add value in a wide range of applications, including automotive.”
Therefore, it is fair to think that Honda could end up implementing QuantumScape batteries in different sectors in which it operates: motorcycles, automobiles, nautical or roboticswould be among them. Also, the brand opens the technological range by perfectly reading the future demands and needs that may arise from now on in any of its product ranges.
