Summary

QuantumScape (NYSE: QS) is a San Jose, California solid-state battery developer focused on a sulfide-based lithium-metal cell with a proprietary ceramic separator. The company is the highest-profile independent pure-play in the space, backed by Volkswagen and publicly listed since 2020. Its QSE-5 cell (5 Ah, 844 Wh/L, 301 Wh/kg) began shipping B1-grade samples to automotive customers in Q3 2025. The Eagle Line pilot production facility was inaugurated in February 2026. A manufacturing partnership with Murata Manufacturing — a Japanese ceramics precision specialist — was announced in April 2025 for scaling the company’s proprietary Cobra ceramic separator process.

Key Facts

  • Founded: 2010
  • HQ: San Jose, CA, USA
  • Type: Public (NYSE: QS)
  • Key backers: Volkswagen (strategic investor since 2018; primary automotive launch partner)
  • Technology: Sulfide-based lithium-metal cell; proprietary ceramic separator (“Cobra” process)
  • QSE-5 cell specs (verified): 5 Ah capacity; 844 Wh/L volumetric density; 301 Wh/kg gravimetric density; 12.2-minute 10–80% charge; >95% capacity retention at 1,000 cycles
  • Current milestone: B1-grade samples shipping to automotive customers (Q3 2025); Eagle Line pilot production inaugurated February 2026
  • Manufacturing partner: Murata Manufacturing (ceramics expertise for Cobra separator scale-up; joint development agreement signed Oct 2025)
  • Business model evolution: Pivoting toward a capital-light technology licensor model — licensing Cobra ceramic separator process to manufacturing partners, equipment makers, and OEMs rather than building all capacity in-house
  • PowerCo (Volkswagen) licensing: Non-exclusive license to produce up to 40 GWh/year using QuantumScape technology; option to expand to 80 GWh; announced March 2026
  • Mass production target: ~2027–2028 (customer-dependent); first commercial launch targeted for 2026

What It Is / How It Works

QuantumScape’s cell is a lithium-metal solid-state design using a sulfide-based solid electrolyte with a ceramic separator as the core differentiator. The separator is the thin membrane between the anode and cathode; QuantumScape’s version is a dense ceramic film that physically blocks lithium dendrite growth (the failure mode that causes lithium-metal cells to short-circuit) while conducting ions efficiently.

The company’s Cobra manufacturing process is a ceramic film deposition technique developed specifically to produce these separators at scale and with consistent quality. Cobra was fully integrated into QuantumScape’s baseline production in 2025 and is central to the Eagle Line pilot’s output. The name of the process refers to the serpentine or coiled nature of the deposition path, though the specific process chemistry is proprietary.

The Murata Manufacturing partnership addresses the most significant remaining scale challenge: Murata is one of the world’s leading precision ceramics manufacturers (best known for ceramic capacitors), and its manufacturing expertise in ceramics material formulation, sheet forming, and firing maps directly to what is needed for high-volume ceramic separator production. The April 2025 framework agreement and October 2025 joint development agreement represent QuantumScape’s strategy to vertically integrate critical supply rather than own all manufacturing in-house.

The QSE-5 is the first commercial-format cell QuantumScape has shipped externally. The B1 designation is an automotive development milestone — it represents a cell format that OEM customers can test in vehicle-level integration, ahead of the A-sample and production-intent C-sample stages. QuantumScape’s launch customer is understood to be Volkswagen (via its PowerCo battery unit), though other undisclosed automotive customers have also received samples.

Licensing Strategy: In March 2026, CEO Sivaram outlined a three-pronged “demonstrate, distribute, develop” commercialization approach in which QuantumScape positions itself as a capital-light technology licensor rather than a vertically integrated cell manufacturer. The PowerCo agreement formalises this: Volkswagen’s PowerCo unit holds a non-exclusive license to produce up to 40 GWh/year of cells using QuantumScape’s technology (option to 80 GWh), with QuantumScape supplying technology and process knowledge rather than cells. This model reduces QuantumScape’s capital requirements and leverages established manufacturers’ production infrastructure. QuantumScape is simultaneously targeting automotive, drone/defense aerospace, AI data center power, and robotics applications.

Notable Developments

  • 2026-03: CEO Siva Sivaram publishes one-year-into-CEO-role strategy update; outlines capital-light licensing model; confirms “demonstrate, distribute, develop” three-pronged approach; targets automotive, drones/defense, AI data center, and robotics markets. (Battery Tech Online)
  • 2026-03: PowerCo (Volkswagen Group’s battery unit) non-exclusive licensing agreement for up to 40 GWh/year using QuantumScape’s ceramic separator technology; option to expand to 80 GWh.
  • 2026-02: Eagle Line pilot production facility inaugurated in San Jose; designed for higher-volume QSE-5 cell production.
  • 2025-10: Joint development agreement with Murata Manufacturing signed for manufacturing of ceramic separators at scale. (Murata)
  • 2025 (Q3): B1-grade QSE-5 samples begin shipping to automotive launch customers. (QuantumScape IR)
  • 2025-04: Framework agreement with Murata Manufacturing announced; confirms ceramics collaboration. (QuantumScape)
  • 2025: Cobra separator process fully integrated into baseline production; enables gigawatt-level scaling.
  • 2020: SPAC IPO on NYSE (QS).
  • 2018: Volkswagen Group strategic investment; partnership formalized.

Key People

Jagdeep Singh — Co-Founder and Executive Chairman

  • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jagdeep-singh-3b2a9222
  • Role: Co-founder; CEO from founding through early 2024; now Executive Chairman
  • Education: University of Maryland (BS Computer Science) → Stanford University (MS) → UC Berkeley (MBA)
  • Career (reverse-chronological):
    • QuantumScape (2010–present): Co-founder; CEO 2010–Feb 2024; Executive Chairman Feb 2024–present
    • Deep Valley Labs LLC (2024–present): Founder, VC firm focusing on innovative startups (concurrent with Chairman role)
    • Infinera (2001–2009): Co-founder and CEO
    • Lightera Networks: Co-founder (sold to Ciena)
    • Airsoft: Founder
    • Hewlett Packard: Early career

Siva Sivaram — President and CEO (since February 2024)

  • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/siva-sivaram-1394ab5b
  • Role: CEO since February 15, 2024; joined QuantumScape as President in September 2023
  • Education: National Institute of Technology (BS Mechanical Engineering) → Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (MS and PhD Materials Science)
  • Career (reverse-chronological):
    • QuantumScape (Sep 2023–present): President; CEO from Feb 2024
    • Western Digital (Nov 2017–Aug 2023): EVP Silicon Technology & Manufacturing (2017–2019); President, Technology & Strategy (2019–2023)
    • SanDisk (acquired by Western Digital 2016): EVP Memory Technology
    • Twin Creek Technologies (2008–2013): Founder and CEO (solar module equipment manufacturer)
    • Earlier roles at SanDisk, Matrix Semiconductor, Intel
  • Notes: Sivaram is a semiconductor/data storage industry veteran, not originally from the battery sector — he was recruited for his manufacturing scale-up expertise.

Tim Holme — CTO and Co-Founder

  • LinkedIn: No confirmed public profile found; Stanford Energy profile: energy.stanford.edu/people/tim-holme
  • Role: CTO since founding; oversees advanced materials research, technical product development, machine learning, and IP
  • Education: Stanford University (BS Physics; MS Mechanical Engineering; PhD Mechanical Engineering — Professor Fritz Prinz lab)
  • Career (reverse-chronological):
    • QuantumScape (Jan 2011–present): CTO and co-founder
    • Stanford University (Jun 2008–Jan 2011): Research Associate in Professor Fritz Prinz’s lab (materials science and electrochemistry of energy conversion and storage)
  • Notes: QuantumScape was co-founded by Tim Holme, Jagdeep Singh, and Professor Fritz Prinz. Holme came directly from Prinz’s Stanford lab where the ceramic separator research originated — he is the only co-founder whose entire career has been at QuantumScape.

⚑ Overlap note: Celina Mikolajczak (now CTO at Lyten) served as VP of Manufacturing at QuantumScape in 2021 before departing to join Lyten in 2022. See Lyten Key People for details.

People — Last Reviewed: 2026-03-24

Supply Chain Position

QuantumScape operates at the Cell Manufacturing layer, producing QSE-5 solid-state cells in-house at its Eagle Line pilot facility in San Jose. The ceramic separator (Cobra process) is the key proprietary component, manufactured in partnership with Murata Manufacturing for scale-up. The sulfide-based electrolyte chemistry requires lithium sulfide (Li₂S) as a precursor; QuantumScape has not disclosed its Li₂S supplier, but the limited number of qualified producers (Idemitsu being the primary one building large-scale capacity) is a potential upstream risk. Downstream launch customer is Volkswagen Group; other undisclosed automotive customers are receiving B1 samples. ⚑ Shared supplier risk: QuantumScape’s sulfide electrolyte and Solid Power’s and Idemitsu’s programs all compete for Li₂S supply; Idemitsu’s capacity is committed to Toyota.

Claim Verification

Claim: QSE-5 specs — 844 Wh/L, 301 Wh/kg, 12.2-min charge, 95%+ capacity at 1,000 cycles

Status: Verified (QuantumScape internal; shipped to external automotive customers for independent validation)

Supporting sources:

Refuting / questioning sources:

  • No specific refutation of the QSE-5 specs; independent OEM validation reports have not yet been published (B1 testing is ongoing as of early 2026)

Summary: Cell specs are company-reported from internal characterization and are in the process of being validated by automotive OEM customers. No independent peer-reviewed publication yet, but the B1 sample shipping milestone indicates readiness for external scrutiny.

Sources