ZapBatt and Toshiba are partnering to unlock proven lithium titanium oxide (LTO) battery technology for micro-mobility. In a press release emailed to me, ZapBatt shared that it’s merging its proprietary artificial intelligence technology and next-gen battery hardware with Toshiba’s lithium titanium oxide battery cells.
The goal is to create a new battery option for the micro-mobility marketplace. This will enable LTO batteries to be faster, smarter, and more economical while allowing for real-time battery management and optimization.
Three challenges of using Lithium Titanium Oxide chemistry in batteries solved
Photo credit: ZapBatt
There are three challenges of using LTO chemistry in batteries that ZapBatt is helping Toshiba solve.
- Chips. At the time, chips didn’t exist to work with LTO, however, ZapBatt’s custom LTO battery management system (BMS) is changing this. The BMS works at the unique voltages of LTO with the ability to be re-configured to adapt as the cell chemistry grows. This enables a programmable chip that works with other chemistries and voltages.
- Voltage. ZapBatt has a bi-directional adaptive terminal voltage (BATV) technology. This allows the battery system’s voltage control to be digitally controlled with software. Think of a universal adapter that allows LTO batteries to be a one-for-one swap with any lithium-ion chemistry without the need for modification to the system. The benefit is the ability to re-configure batteries for other applications at software speed.
- Energy Density. ZapBatt will use integrated AI which allows the battery to improve the system’s performance. The AI will analyze how energy is being used. One example is enhanced regenerative braking in e-bikes.
Toshiba & ZapBatt Statements
Greg Mack, Toshiba’s Vice President and General Manager of the Power Electronics Division shared the following statement about the new partnership.
“ZapBatt unlocked the potential of Toshiba’s LTO chemistry for a variety of industries and new markets with disruptive technology, moving away from the ‘miracle battery’ trap and providing a real solution hitting the market today.”
“With ZapBatt’s hardware and software, and our LTO chemistry, there is no other solution as fast, safe, and cost-effective on the market.”
Charlie Welch, CEO and Co-Founder of ZapBatt also shared a statement.
“For global carbon reduction and electrification, we need better battery solutions now, not in ten years. To address this problem, we worked with Toshiba to allow lithium titanium oxide to come alive, bridge into new markets quickly, and provide maximum economic and environmental benefit.”
“Unlike other chemistries, lithium titanium oxide is very efficient in a variety of conditions, not just on a lab bench. It’s like the Seabiscuit of batteries.”
How Toshiba’s Lithium Titanium Oxide Cells Will Work
The company noted that the cells are designed for fast charging and high-power environments with a minimal decrease in function–even after thousands of charges and uses.
These cells are ideal for micro-mobility applications and will provide up to a 100% usable charge without shortening the cycle life. They also perform in freezing temperatures as low as -30 degrees celsius.
The LTO cells also reduce operating expenses and e-waste. And they eliminate the risk of fire with ZapBatt’s LTO system. ZapBatt noted that its LTO batteries have virtually no risk for self-thermal runaway.
In addition to this, ZapBatt pointed out that its combination of machine learning and proprietary hardware will continuously improve battery performance. The software analyzes 26 data points that illustrate how the battery performs to improve charging operations.
ZapBatt’s New Hardware Solution
ZapBatt built a new hardware solution for its LTO BATV system. The BATV system allows the system to control the battery voltage input and output all digitally with software. This allows LTO batteries to integrate with a variety of applications.
Amiad Zionpur, ZapBatt’s Chief Operating Officer shared some thoughts about this technology.
“ZapBatt’s bi-directional adaptive terminal voltage (BATV) technology allows the battery to reconfigure itself based on the customer’s needs, essentially making it a universal adapter that has the potential to change the battery landscape completely.”
“Because of this unique ability, the e-bike battery can be used in many different applications, from micro-mobility to consumer products.”
My Interview With ZapBatt CEO, Charlie Welch
In June, I interviewed Charlie for CleanTechnica in a two-part series. In the first part, which you can read here, Charlie shared how he got started with ZapBatt, the difference between ZapBatt and the overall battery industry, and charging in just 15 minutes.
In the second part of our interview, which you can read here, we spoke about overlooked technologies, the industries that ZapBatt wants to impact, and availability and sustainability.
Lifestyle
NTSB findings on fatal Tesla crash tell a very different story
The NTSB confirmed the driver, not Tesla’s FSD, caused the fatal Texas house crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings Wednesday confirming that a Tesla driver, not the vehicle’s software, caused a fatal crash in Katy, Texas in June. The driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, had engaged Full Self-Driving Supervised mode on Rose Hollow Lane, a residential street with a 30 mph speed limit, before manually overriding the system by pressing the accelerator pedal all the way to 100%. Data recovered from the 2025 Tesla Model 3 showed the vehicle was traveling over 70 miles per hour when it struck a home and killed 76-year-old Martha Avila, who was inside. Weather was clear, the road was dry, and it was daylight.
Texas man charged in fatal Tesla crash where he blamed Autopilot
Butler told authorities he had passed out at the wheel. But security camera footage obtained by the NTSB told a different story, and showed the car accelerating through an intersection before leaving the road entirely. Police also found that Butler’s phone had Google searches including the terms “Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026” and “Tesla FSD too timid,” raising serious questions about how he was using the system before the crash. Butler has since been charged with manslaughter. The victim’s family has filed a lawsuit against both Butler and Tesla, alleging negligence.
The NTSB findings aligned directly with what Tesla VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy had already stated publicly on X in the weeks after the crash, writing that “the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100%.” The data confirmed his account.
Yup. In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area. They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash.
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) June 22, 2026
Lucid CEO Silvio Napoli responded to rumors of an imminent bankruptcy that was reportedly being mulled after a report stated the automaker was working with the firm AlixPartners to iron out its next steps.
The company felt a massive loss on Wall Street yesterday, as the report essentially pushed the stock down as much as 55 percent on Tuesday.
The report, published initially by Eletric-Vehicles.com, claimed Lucid was essentially in dire straits and was told by AlixPartners, a commonly used restructuring advisor, to either take shares private or file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Lucid’s head of Communications, Nick Twork, immediately challenged the report and stated the company “has sufficient liquidity to carry its operations well into next year.”
Now, the company’s CEO is chiming in as well, stating that the report is “so far from the facts that they require a direct response.”
Napoli said:
“Lucid is not considering bankruptcy or a transaction to take the company private. Those reports are false. The Board did not explore either scenario. Period.
As disclosed in our most recent quarterly filing, Lucid has sufficient liquidity to fund its operations well into next year.
We work with outside advisors to improve operational performance and execution. They are not advising Lucid on a take-private transaction or bankruptcy, and any suggestion that they have recommended either course of action to management or the Board is false.
My priority is clear: turn this company around. That is where the leadership team and I are focused.
I look forward to providing a full update during our quarterly earnings call on August 4th.”
🚨 Lucid CEO Silvio Napoli calls rumors of financial issues “so far from the facts that they require a direct response.”
Read his full remarks here: https://t.co/t3Pg1NHvzy pic.twitter.com/LvHUPhO4Qf
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 15, 2026
It seems pretty clear that Lucid is confident things will be okay, and, to be honest, they should not have much to worry about, especially considering the company has been backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) for years. It has solid financial backing, and its sales, while weak, are pretty much right on par with a company of this age.
Lucid also sent a Cease & Desist letter to the publication for their report.
Lucid shares have rebounded nicely and are up nearly 21 percent at the time of publication. As soon as the company dispelled the rumors of bankruptcy yesterday, the stock began to climb back toward more reasonable levels.
Tesla has once again demonstrated strong customer focus by swiftly addressing and fully refunding a bizarre Supercharger pricing glitch that affected drivers in Atlantic Canada.
The issue surfaced earlier this month when the Tesla app began displaying dramatically inflated per-minute charging rates at stations in Prince Edward Island and parts of New Brunswick.
One widely shared screenshot from a Charlottetown, PEI Supercharger showed rates reaching ridiculous levels: $6.00 per minute for the 180-250 kW tier, along with $3.57/min for 100-180 kW and $2.29/min for 60-100 kW.
Correct pricing will be going live at midnight tonight. All fees since July 2nd 2026 will be waived.
— Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) July 13, 2026
These figures were several times higher than normal Supercharger pricing in the region.
To put the error in perspective, charging at the highest incorrect rate would have been shockingly expensive.
At 250 kW, a common charging speed at Superchargers, a vehicle pulls roughly 4.17 kWh per minute. Under the glitch, a driver spending just 10 minutes at peak power would face a $60 bill. A typical 20- to 30-minute session to add meaningful range could have cost $120 to $180 or more, before any congestion fees.
Tesla gets another layer of gamification with Free Supercharging on the line
By comparison, standard Canadian Supercharger rates usually fall between $0.25 and $0.60 per kWh, making a similar session cost roughly $15–$40. The erroneous per-minute structure, combined with the inflated numbers, turned what should be a convenient stop into a potential financial shock.
The glitch appears to have started sometime around early July, and quickly drew attention on social media as owners questioned whether Tesla had implemented steep hidden increases. Some drivers even reported seeing $0 charges in their history, indicating broader billing confusion.
Tesla’s official Charging account on X stated that correct pricing would roll out at midnight on July 13, so the fix is already in effect. More importantly, the company announced it would waive all fees for every Supercharger session since July 2. This blanket waiver covers the entire affected period without requiring users to file individual claims, with automated refunds expected soon. The decision affects stations in PEI and nearby areas in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
It’s a classy move, and rather than issuing partial credits or forcing owners to submit support tickets, Tesla simply absorbed the cost of the system error and made drivers whole. In an industry where hidden fees and bill disputes are common, Tesla’s proactive, no-questions-asked approach reinforces owner trust and highlights the company’s commitment to service excellence.
The incident, while disruptive for a short time, ultimately showcases Tesla’s ability to own mistakes and prioritize customer satisfaction. Atlantic Canada Tesla owners can now charge with confidence again, knowing the company has their back when technology glitches occur.
In an era of complex EV billing, such transparency and generosity are refreshing and set a positive example for the industry.
NTSB findings on fatal Tesla crash tell a very different story
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