U.S. battery technology company Ion Storage Systems has moved a step closer to commercialising solid-state batteries, which are seen as a next-generation battery. The company announced that its solid-state battery product, the Cornerstone Cell, has passed customer performance certification.

Electric-vehicle outlet Electrek reported on March 10 that Ion stressed the achievement was the first case among U.S. solid-state battery technology companies to pass customer performance validation. It is seen as an important milestone showing solid-state battery technology, which has remained at the laboratory research stage, is entering the stage of real industrial application.

The certification came about half a year after the company supplied sample cells in August 2025 to industrial equipment, consumer electronics and automotive companies. Customers verified cell performance in real-world conditions and granted the certification.

Jorge Diaz Schneider (호르헤 디아즈 슈나이더), chief executive of Ion Systems, said, "With the Cornerstone Cell, we have become the first U.S. company to pass performance validation together with customers." He added, "We will start production in Maryland and work with more customers to drive technological innovation that goes beyond the limits of lithium-ion batteries."

Ion is highlighting solid-state battery technology with an anodeless structure as a key competitive strength. Typical batteries have both a cathode and an anode, but the anodeless method is known as a structure that can increase energy density and stability by removing the initial anode.

Greg Hitz (그렉 히츠), chief technology officer of Ion Systems, said, "Moving solid-state anodeless batteries from the laboratory to real-world environments is an important moment in the company’s history." He added, "We have proprietary technology that secures both high thermal stability and strong performance."

The company’s strategy is also drawing attention. While many battery companies prioritise the electric-vehicle market, Ion chose a strategy of targeting the industrial equipment and consumer electronics markets first. It is an approach aimed at securing technical stability and quickly capturing an early market.

Ion said the strategy is also similar to the development path of the battery industry in the past. Lithium-ion batteries were first commercialised in laptops and portable electronics in the 1990s, before expanding into larger markets such as smartphones and electric vehicles.

Initial production is set to take place at a plant in Beltsville, Maryland. The company is currently expanding the facility and plans to install a new sintering furnace in 2026 to begin full-scale production.

Ion said it is also reviewing additional production capacity beyond the Beltsville plant if future demand increases. The company said it has already drawn up plans to establish a large-scale production system.

The industry says solid-state batteries, if commercialised, could significantly improve existing batteries in energy density, safety and charging speed. But mass production and cost competitiveness remain challenges, and the customer certification is expected to be an important test for broader commercialisation.