SoftBank targets battery production at Osaka Sakai AI site by FY2027

TL;DR

• SoftBank Corp said it will create a battery business for data centres and industrial sites using the Osaka Sakai AI Data Centre in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, as its hub.
• SoftBank plans to start production of battery cells and storage systems in fiscal 2027, which begins on 1 April 2027, and reach GWh-per-year scale mass production around fiscal 2028.
• SoftBank is working with Cosmos Lab on zinc-halogen battery cells and with DeltaX on battery connection and packaging technology.

SoftBank Corp said it is preparing a battery business for data centres and other industrial sites in Japan, with operations based at the Osaka Sakai AI Data Centre in Osaka Prefecture. The company said it plans to design and produce battery cells and battery energy storage systems with domestic partners, and to begin production of each element in fiscal 2027, which starts on 1 April 2027.

SoftBank said it is working with Cosmos Lab to develop battery cells based on zinc-halogen designs. SoftBank said the cells are intended to be non-flammable and use pure water as the electrolyte, which it said reduces fire risk compared with lithium-ion batteries. The company added that zinc-halogen technology can minimise energy loss during discharge while matching or exceeding lithium-ion efficiency.

SoftBank said DeltaX will support the storage system side with battery cell connection designs and packaging technologies. The company said battery energy storage systems are becoming important for stable electricity supply, and it plans to use artificial intelligence to predict power demand and manage charging and discharging cycles. SoftBank disclosed the battery plan alongside fiscal 2025 results for the year ended 31 March, reporting revenue of JPY7 trillion ($44.6 billion), up 7.6% year on year, and net income attributable to shareholders of JPY550.8 billion, up 4.7%.

Related questions

• When does SoftBank plan to start battery production at the Osaka Sakai AI Data Centre?
• Which companies are working with SoftBank on battery cells and storage systems?
• What battery chemistry did SoftBank say it will use for its new battery business?