Taiwanese battery startup ProLogium is betting that next-generation solid-state battery technology can help it challenge Chinese giants like BYD and CATL in the global lithium battery market. According to a WIRED report, the company plans to start mass-producing solid-state batteries as soon as 2027, from a new gigafactory in Dunkirk, France that broke ground in February 2026 after receiving a €1.5 billion local government grant.
The Solid-State Battery Race
Most lithium batteries today use liquid electrolytes, which can spill, vaporize, and catch fire. Solid-state batteries replace that liquid with a solid electrolyte, promising safer, more powerful cells that perform better in cold temperatures. While the technology has been demonstrated in labs, manufacturing at scale remains expensive and difficult. ProLogium claims its fourth-generation solid-state battery, introduced at the start of 2026, solves the cost and mass-production challenge.
"I've made almost every kind of battery. You can call me a living fossil for some of the older technologies," said Vincent Yang, founder and CEO of ProLogium, who holds a PhD in material science and has over 20 years of battery research experience.
ProLogium's Expansion Strategy
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Gigafactory location | Dunkirk, France |
| Government grant | €1.5 billion |
| Groundbreaking date | February 2026 |
| Target mass production | 2027 |
| IPO valuation | $3.8 billion (via merger with TDAC) |
| Listing | Nasdaq (blank check merger with TDAC in May 2026) |
In May 2026, ProLogium announced a merger with TDAC, an American blank-check company, to go public on the Nasdaq at a $3.8 billion valuation. The funding and factory buildout position ProLogium to scale up solid-state battery output just as automakers and energy storage buyers seek alternatives to Chinese supply chains.
Geopolitical Advantage
ProLogium's key differentiator is that it does not operate any factory in China. Amid rising geopolitical tensions and protectionist policies, several buyers are deliberately seeking non-Chinese suppliers. Yang noted that his company recently signed a deal with a state-backed utility infrastructure company in Asia that specifically required a battery supplier not from mainland China.
"Almost every region [in the world] has its own protectionism. It has positive and negative outcomes, but I have to admit we can sometimes benefit from it," Yang told WIRED.
Competition from Incumbents
The solid-state battery race is crowded. In 2024, China formed the All-Solid-State Battery Collaborative Innovation Platform (CASIP), uniting virtually every major Chinese battery manufacturer in a national push to accelerate development. Asian conglomerates Toyota (Japan) and Samsung (South Korea) are also leaders in the field, along with American startups like QuantumScape.
Yang acknowledged the challenge: "We are racing with the greatest people in the world. But even for the largest companies in the world, this remains a technical challenge that's difficult to solve." He noted that the new materials and production methods required for solid-state batteries create a level playing field where upstarts can compete with established players.
Production Timeline
ProLogium expects to start mass production of its fourth-generation solid-state battery in 2027 at its Dunkirk gigafactory. The company's IPO and government grants will fund the ramp-up as it aims to become a major supplier to automakers and energy storage customers outside China.
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