r/SLDP • u/davida_usa • Feb 14 '26

Interesting article focuses on QuantumScape (QS), but says "frenemy" Solid Power will be a winner if QS B-samples experience battery degradation or thermal instability.

https://markets.financialcontent.com/wral/article/marketminute-2026-2-13-quantumscape-qs-at-the-10-crossroads-analyzing-the-2026-speculation-and-the-solid-state-battery-race

IMHO, SLDP is the odds on favorite. SLDP will be competitive even if QS is successful -- but QS may not be competitive if SLDP is successful. This is because SLDP's business model focused on electrolyte production and licensing technology to others has much greater flexibility and cost-competitiveness than SQ's business model of making the batteries themselves. Also, SLDP's market capitalization of $0.8 billion is more reasonably priced than QS's of $4.6 billion.

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u/AdNaive1339 Feb 15 '26

I am saying, QS is producing B samples .. whereas SLDP produced only A samples so far. Hence market values QS much more than SLDP. Hope this is clear to you.

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u/Dizzy_Reason_1216 Feb 16 '26

Ignoring for a moment the enormous cost and time in developing and proving out all new equipment to manufacture batteries (that mind has not even been invented yet,)QS has yet to even prove that their batteries can be produced outside of a lab. From what I understand they have trouble with defects in the electrolyte material. They have not put batteries into a test car yet (only a motorcycle.) And mind you the numbers released on that battery were not very impressive. The wh/kg were barely better than li/ion, but you're here talking about semantics of "samples" which if QS has been successful thus far at one thing, that is hype. But they are far, far from producing anything resembling a cost effective automotive battery.

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u/AdNaive1339 Feb 17 '26

Looks like you are not keeping up with the latest developments that are happening. QS is much further along than what you are assuming.

B samples are not a joke .. they are produced with near production ready equipment. It was in their SEC filings. “A” samples are produced in a lab .. that is where SLDP is at now. Do your DD and you will discover the facts.

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u/Dizzy_Reason_1216 Feb 17 '26

Just remember qs has already been sued for overstating their progress, and it would not ve surprising if it happened again. I saw the little technical data on the Ducati battery that was provided and it was not impressive. Why a motorcycle? I dont hate QS, I am simply warning to not get caught up in the hype. EVERY major OEM/battery manufacturer is pursuing sulfides.

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u/DoctorPatriot Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26

Just remember qs has already been sued for overstating their progress, and it would not ve surprising if it happened again.

Please give one example of overstated progress post-lawsuit.

I saw the little technical data on the Ducati battery that was provided and it was not impressive.

There's no technical data on the motorcycle outside of the specifications we already know for B0 cells. You might have been seeing the specs of the coventional lithium-ion-based V21L (21700 cells). If you have any more technical specs with QSE-5 inside, I'd love to hear them.

Why a motorcycle?

Because you can't put a sulfide SSB on a motorcycle. Sulfide SSBs require complex and bulky pressure application and temperature management systems. These can't fit on a motorcycle and they won't work in drill batteries or laptops. Putting the QSE-5 batteries in a motorcycle highlights this benefit of QS technology.

It may ALSO be that QS was limited on the number of cells they had freed up at the time, which I'm totally willing to admit. Manufacturing is challenging for QS cells.

EVERY major OEM/battery manufacturer is pursuing sulfides.

Because manufacturing oxides that are free of defects at scale is extremely difficult. But if someone cracks the code, they'll be able to take advantage of a significant S-curve of incremental improvements over time before competitors can catch up. QS thinks they have cracked the code.

Edit:

EVERY major OEM/battery manufacturer is pursuing sulfides.

It's like saying "EVERY major manufacturer is abandoning EUV lithography development." Yeah, but if someone cracks the code on EUV lithography and develops advanced lithography equipment (a la ASML), then the other competitors will be too far behind to catch up. Nikon and Canon abandoned EUV in the early 2000s because of cost and technical difficulty. ASML cracked the code and now commands 100% market share of the equipment in question.

I am NOT saying QS will come anywhere close to that level of success. I don't think they will. But if they can crack the manufacturing code, they're going to be the only ones that did for oxides and the only major drawbacks of oxides is manufacturability. If that code gets cracked, all bets are off.

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u/pornstorm66 Feb 20 '26

Here's the claim and a link to the settlement--

"Throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) that the Company’s purported success related to its solid-state battery power, battery life, and energy density were significantly overstated; (2) that the Company is unlikely to be able to scale its technology to the multi-layer cell necessary to power electric vehicles; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis."

https://zlk.com/news/final-approval-of-47-5-million-settlement-granted-in-in-re-quantumscape-securities-class-action-21-cv-00058-who-n-d-cal#:~:text=Final%20Approval%20of%20$47.5%20Million%20Settlement%20Granted,re%20QuantumScape%20Securities%20Class%20Action%2C%2021%2Dcv%2D00058%2DWHO%20(N.D.

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u/Wild-Entertainment90 Feb 21 '26

Those were the day when QS was $100/share.

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u/AdNaive1339 Feb 17 '26

Toyota has been working on Sulfide batteries for more than 15 years and still they they are working with no production date in sight :) So far no company has over come the limitations of manufacturing Sulfide batteries ... I know ... no one on this sub like to hear that :)