Asahi Kasei signs its first China license for Acetolyte battery electrolyte
EV Engineering News
Posted August 13, 2026 by Chris Ruoff & filed under Newswire, The Tech.
Asahi Kasei has signed its first license agreement in China for Acetolyte, an acetonitrile-containing electrolyte, granting HighChem Shanghai a non-exclusive license to produce and sell the material to Chinese battery manufacturers.
HighChem Shanghai, an affiliate of the HighChem group focused on trading in China, will manufacture and sell the electrolyte for the local market. Asahi Kasei says the partnership draws on HighChem’s customer base and presence in China’s battery industry to speed adoption as the country’s electric vehicle and energy storage markets expand.
“Having focused on the lithium-ion battery business for nearly 20 years, HighChem has knowledge and extensive business experience in the Chinese market,” said Yueyuan Long, General Manager of HighChem Shanghai. “Acetolyte offers excellent low-temperature performance, and we believe that our collaboration with Asahi Kasei will enable us to maximize the value of this technology and open up new possibilities for the battery industry.”
Asahi Kasei says Acetolyte’s high ionic conductivity increases battery power output at low temperatures and improves durability at high temperatures, both persistent problems for current lithium-ion cells. By enabling smaller battery packs with greater energy density, the electrolyte reduces manufacturing costs, according to the company.
Asahi Kasei has already licensed the electrolyte in Europe, where Charged covered EAS Batteries’ commercialization of an LFP cell built on it.
Under a medium-term plan announced in April 2025, the company is pursuing what it calls Technology-value Business Creation, monetizing patents, know-how, data and algorithms through licensing rather than manufacturing. It aims to conclude at least 10 new license agreements across fiscal 2025 to 2027 and a cumulative profit contribution of ¥10 billion or more by around 2030.
“We have steadily expanded the Acetolyte business through licensing partnerships in Europe. This first license agreement in China represents a significant advance in the global extension of our technology,” said Osamu Matsuzaki, Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Head of Corporate R&D.
Source: Asahi Kasei
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