Is the Future of Batteries "Sulfur"? Sulfur Batteries Connected to Japanese Companies Boosted by U.S. Testing of Next-Generation Technology

If electric vehicle batteries could be made from more readily available materials—such a future is one step closer thanks to recent research advancements.

On October 19, 2026, Gelion, a company developing next-generation battery materials using sulfur, announced the initial results of an independent test conducted by the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) in the United States.

The highlight was the result showing that even under conditions where the charge-discharge rate was increased 20-fold, 92% of the standard capacity was maintained. The German financial information site "Aktiencheck" reported on October 20 that Gelion's stock rose by 26% following this verification result.

However, it's important to separate stock momentum from the maturity of the technology. This news does not mean that the "dream battery" has been completed. The performance demonstrated by the development company was successfully reproduced by an external laboratory. A careful reading of its significance reveals changes more intriguing than the headline numbers.

"92%" is not about battery lifespan

First, it's crucial to understand what the current figures are comparing.

According to Gelion's announcement, in NLR's test, when the charge-discharge rate was increased from 0.1C to 2C, 92% of the capacity obtained at 0.1C was maintained. The rate ratio becomes 20 times.

Here, "C" is an indicator of how much current is used for charging and discharging relative to the battery's capacity. This comparison measures how much capacity can be retained at a higher rate compared to the capacity extracted when operated slowly.

Therefore, it is neither a discussion about "92% of the new capacity remaining after years of use" nor an announcement of product performance like "charging time reduced to one-twentieth of the conventional time."

Even under fast charge-discharge conditions, the usable capacity did not significantly decrease. It is appropriate to interpret the results in this way.

In battery news, capacity, lifespan, output, and charging time are often discussed together. However, one excellent figure alone cannot determine that all performances are superior.

The important thing is that it was "reproduced in another laboratory"

In this test, NLR used sulfur-based cathode material called NES provided by Gelion to manufacture electrodes and assembled small coin cells. They then reproduced the main electrochemical characteristics that the company had confirmed in its own facilities.

The significance lies in not just receiving completed batteries and measuring them, but progressing from materials to electrodes and cell assembly.

To have other companies use battery materials, it is necessary to move beyond a state where only the researchers at the development source can handle them. Can performance be extracted with different equipment and personnel? This independent verification can be seen as a positive material for that question.

However, the announcement is merely an initial result and differs from certification of commercial products or assurance of mass production quality. The next stage involves prototyping and verifying larger pouch cells.

The focus will be on whether the characteristics confirmed in small cells can be maintained in sizes closer to actual applications.

Automakers have moved to "evaluation" rather than "adoption"

In parallel with the verification in the United States, Gelion is also expanding evaluations for automotive applications.

On October 13, the company announced a proof-of-concept agreement co-funded with an automaker it considers to be in the "global top 5." The name of the partner company has not been disclosed.

In this program, cells combining NES cathode material and graphite anodes will be tested under conditions related to EV applications. The automaker will provide technical expertise, testing facilities, and part of the funding.

A week earlier, on October 6, a material transfer agreement with another automaker considered to be in the "global top 15" was also announced. This will evaluate technology using both liquid and solid electrolytes.

The involvement of manufacturers themselves in equipment, technicians, and funding is meaningful in bringing research closer to actual product requirements. However, both are currently contracts for evaluation, not decisions for installation in mass-produced vehicles or continuous large-scale purchases.

Moreover, the cell configurations for the U.S. laboratory's coin cell tests and automotive evaluations differ. The "92%" result obtained in the U.S. cannot be directly treated as the performance of future EV batteries.

Connections to Japan—Nissan's European base and Mitsui Metals

For Japanese readers, Gelion is not necessarily a distant overseas research company.

In June 2026, the company announced a joint research project with Nissan Technical Centre Europe, Nissan's European technical development base, and the University of Oxford. This is a three-year project aimed at developing next-generation EV batteries by combining sulfur-based cathode materials and solid-state battery technology.

Additionally, collaboration with Mitsui Metals on the expansion of development and production scale is also progressing.

What can be seen from this is that the battery competition is not just a matter for finished vehicle manufacturers and battery manufacturers. Companies that make cathode materials, develop electrolytes, have manufacturing technology, and research institutions that evaluate performance—all these jobs connect to bring a product closer to reality.

Gelion aims to utilize abundantly available sulfur to reduce dependence on critical minerals used in traditional cathode materials. Compatibility with existing manufacturing equipment is also a development goal.

However, the fact that materials are inexpensive does not mean that completed batteries can be made cheaply. The cost during mass production is determined by factors including processing effort, quality variations, and manufacturing yield. When looking at collaborations with Japanese companies, attention should be paid to progress in "how to make" in addition to research results.

Expectations for commercialization on social media—however, be cautious of the source and timing

On social media, Gelion's official LinkedIn introduced this independent verification. The focus of the announcement is on the reproducibility of performance, capacity retention at high rates, and progress to the next prototyping stage.

On the other hand, regarding general user reactions to the October 19 announcement, the publicly available posts did not provide enough material to determine a trend of approval or disapproval. Expressions like "praised on social media" or "the world was surprised" should be avoided.

A related reaction that could be confirmed was the comments on the prior announcement of collaboration with Mitsui Metals.

Amit Gupta, Gelion's CFO, expressed expectations for the potential to lead to commercial supply in Asia by evaluating complementary technologies and capabilities. Another comment emphasized the significance of combining technology using inexpensive and abundant materials with the expansion of manufacturing scale.

These are not direct reactions to the U.S. test but comments on related collaborations, including communications from those close to the business such as management.

Nevertheless, the focus of the expectations that can be confirmed is discernible. Rather than simply being amazed by "a new battery," it's about whether research results can be nurtured into supplyable materials by partnering with industry players.

The next question is whether performance can be turned into "business"

Based on the current achievements, what should be looked for in future announcements?

From a technical perspective, whether performance can be maintained in larger cells, how degradation occurs with repeated use, and whether necessary temperature conditions and safety for actual applications can be met will be points of judgment.

From a manufacturing perspective, the ability to produce consistently with the same quality will be crucial. There are still things to confirm between cells that performed well in tests and products that can be continuously shipped from factories.

From a business perspective, joint evaluations, prototyping, mass production contracts, and continuous revenue are each separate stages. The increase in major companies participating in evaluations is progress, but it does not alone secure future revenue.

Gelion plans to announce its audited full-year financial results for the fiscal year ending June 2026 on October 21. As technology development progresses, it will also be important to see how funding for continued research and progress toward commercialization are explained.

Read "reproducibility" rather than "completion" in sulfur battery news

Articles discussing the future of batteries often feature eye-catching numbers. However, in Gelion's latest announcement, what should not be overlooked is the fact that an external laboratory handled the materials and reproduced the performance, rather than the flashy numbers.

This is a step toward transferring laboratory achievements to other organizations.

The next question is whether the same strengths can be maintained in larger cells, under conditions closer to actual applications, and within the constraints of manufacturing and cost.

How far sulfur can broaden the options for batteries is still an ongoing question. Therefore, rather than hastily expecting "the world to change immediately," following the process of verification accumulating one by one makes it easier to find the true value of this technology.

Sources and References

1. Aktiencheck/Börse Global: Reports on stock price reactions, verification by U.S. laboratories, evaluation contracts with automakers, and upcoming financial results.
   https://www.aktiencheck.de/news/Artikel-Gelion_Aktie_US_Labor_validiert_Schwefelzellen-20182845
   *Refer to the user-provided text.

2. Gelion official announcement (October 19, 2026): Independent testing by NLR, comparison of capacities at 0.1C and 2C, coin cell configuration, and future large cell development plans.
   https://gelion.com/news/gelion-announces-strong-independent-u-s-validation-of-nes-battery-technology/Gelion

3. Gelion regulatory disclosure (October 13, 2026, published on Investegate): Evaluation contract co-funded with a non-disclosed global top 5 automaker. Involvement of graphite anode cells and the partner company's technical, equipment, and financial participation.
   https://www.investegate.co.uk/announcement/rns/gelion--geln/co-funded-poc-agreement-with-global-top-5-auto-oem/9819143Investegate

4. Gelion official announcement (October 6, 2026): Material transfer agreement with a global top 15 automaker. Evaluation scope using liquid and solid electrolytes.
   https://gelion.com/news/mta-with-global-automotive-oem/Gelion

5. Gelion official announcement (June 2, 2026): Joint research on solid lithium-sulfur batteries with Nissan's European technical development base and the University of Oxford.
   https://gelion.com/news/nissan-collaboration/Gelion

6. Gelion official LinkedIn: Announcement regarding the U.S. verification, plans for full-year financial results, and investor presentations. Distinguish from materials indicating general user reactions.
   https://uk.linkedin.com/company/gelionLinkedIn

7. Gelion's LinkedIn post and comments regarding collaboration with Mitsui Metals: Confirm related social media reactions. Comments on prior collaboration announcements, not direct reactions to the U.S. test.
   https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gelion_funded-development-and-scale-up-with-mitsui-activity-7491436284863827968-YW3l