QuantumScape Corporation, a developer of solid-state lithium-metal battery technology, announced the successful integration of its advanced Cobra separator process into baseline cell production.

Cobra forms the foundation of QS’ high-throughput, continuous-flow separator production platform. Designed to enable faster, more energy-efficient production with a smaller equipment footprint compared to earlier processes, Cobra represents a step-change improvement in ceramic separator manufacturing, according to the company.

Compared to the prior-generation Raptor process, Cobra offers a ~25x improvement in heat treatment speed and occupies a fraction of the physical space per film start—key advantages in the design of a scalable gigafactory production line.

The Cobra platform replaces the company’s Raptor process, which was used for B0 cell production and delivered important gains in separator quality and process stability.

With Cobra in place as the new baseline, QS will continue to improve its production speed, efficiency and scalability, laying the groundwork for higher-volume B1 sample production. These production metrics are expected to further improve as the company introduces future iterations of Cobra.