EGI Battery Opens Japan Technical Center and Establishes Yokohama Subsidiary

EGI Battery established EGI Battery KK, its Japanese subsidiary, and opened a Japan Technical Center in Yokohama on November 10, 2026, PR Newswire reported. The U.S.-owned lithium-ion cell company said the center will initially conduct research and development, evaluate advanced battery materials and strengthen supplier relationships and technology partnerships.

Inside the Yokohama Technical Center

EGI Battery is an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based battery manufacturer producing silicon-anode lithium-ion pouch cells and sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries for aerospace, uncrewed aircraft, eVTOL, robotics and critical infrastructure customers through an NDAA-compliant non-China supply chain. The company said Japan's battery innovation history, manufacturing know-how and experienced talent made it a strategic location.

Junji Tabuchi, president of EGI Battery KK, will lead the Yokohama operation, including technical partnerships and regional business development. Tabuchi brings more than 35 years of lithium-ion battery experience across UBE Corporation, NEC TOKIN and E-One Moli Energy, including leadership of battery materials R&D at UBE.

"The opportunity is not only to develop better battery materials, but to turn those advances into cells that can be manufactured reliably and meet demanding customer requirements," Tabuchi said. EGI Battery KK plans to expand into cell design, with a focus on electrodes, and then battery manufacturing capabilities.

EGI's Michigan Manufacturing Plans

According to akta.pro company records, EGI Battery announced in March 2026 the launch of its first U.S. battery manufacturing campus, the Zeeb Campus, at 300 N. Zeeb Road in Ann Arbor, with Site Acceptance Testing targeted for the first quarter of 2026 and Start of Production targeted for the third quarter of 2026. The same records show Phase 1 annual capacity of up to 300,000 cells (40 MWh) using 35Ah NMC pouch cells, and Phase 2 capacity of up to 600,000 cells (~80 MWh). At completion of all phases, annual cell capacity will reach 1.3 million cells.

The company said fill and formation is already running at the Zeeb Manufacturing Center, with full cell production beginning in 2027.

Battery Expansion Across the Sector

Volkswagen and Gotion expanded their battery partnership while BMW opened a new battery plant in Germany, FinanzNachrichten.de reported on October 31, 2026. HEG Advanced Materials' board approved expanding its anode plant capacity to 44,000 MT at a capex of Rs 1,606 crore, with full operation by 2029, Business Today reported on November 4, 2026.

What Comes Next for EGI Battery

EGI Battery said full cell production at its Zeeb Manufacturing Center in Ann Arbor begins in 2027. The company also said EGI Battery KK plans to add cell design and then battery manufacturing capabilities as the Japan operations develop.