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.
Tesla confirmed this morning that it has sent the first production units, manufactured with no steering wheel or pedals, to on-road testing in Austin, sharing video of the first rides with no human controls.
The lack of steering wheels and pedals in the Cybercab aligns with Tesla’s self-certification of Robotaxi as Level 4 SAE, a platform it plans to make widespread through internal vehicles and customer-owned cars that will operate and generate revenue for individuals.
The start of these engineering tests is a major signal for Tesla, which plans to bring driverless, wheel-less, and pedal-less Cybercabs to market in the coming months. With production already well underway at Gigafactory Texas, where the Cybercab is built, there is some inclination to believe the first public rides could happen sooner rather than later.
Engineering tests of the first production Cybercab have begun in Austin pic.twitter.com/fk3KQvcE8a
— Tesla (@Tesla) June 30, 2026
Tesla’s engineering tests will put the Cybercab in real-world scenarios, testing not only the hardware, but more importantly, the software that drives the car around Austin with nobody supervising it within the car.
This is perhaps the biggest part of the internal testing process, especially prior to allowing regular, everyday people to hail the Cybercab for an autonomous ride. These early rides serve as a true benchmark for Tesla: How many rides can it achieve safely? How many miles did it travel consecutively without needing an intervention? What scenarios challenge the Full Self-Driving suite the most?
The proper precautions have already been put into place as well, as Tesla released the First Responders Guide to Cybercab over the weekend, ensuring that emergency services have 24/7 access to Robotaxi Assistance, as well as other boundaries, such as Geofencing features that can be used to redirect autonomous vehicle traffic due to accidents, road closures, construction, or maintenance.
Cybercab seems genuinely close to being added to the Robotaxi fleet in Austin, but Tesla has prioritized safety throughout this entire process. Therefore, we think it could be months before it truly starts giving rides to the public. People have been frustrated with this, but Robotaxi in Austin has a tremendous safety record so far, so the slow rollout has kept people safe and accidents to a minimum.
The most important thing is that Tesla continues to show consistent progress in the Cybercab’s ramp-up toward fleet addition. A few weeks back, we saw the EPA reward the Cybercab a Certificate of Conformity, allowing it to enter the stream of commerce. Then, we saw Tesla add decals, signaling that it was likely about to start testing it publicly. That has now happened.
The next big move will be the announcement of the first rides, so this Summer should be filled with anticipation.
For years, there have been images and videos across social media platforms that have reminded me of when I was a 15-year-old kid teased by “Xbox 720” videos on YouTube. These videos are of the supposed “Tesla Phone” that Elon Musk was secretly developing in between leading Tesla with its electric cars and SpaceX with its reusable rockets.
Would you buy a Tesla phone ? pic.twitter.com/aaTwvvIJit
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) October 6, 2023
Although Musk has put those rumors to bed several times, it was never completely out of the realm that he could get involved in cell phones in some capacity. Think outside the box and more macro-level, though. Instead of reinventing the computer, Musk reinvented connectivity by developing Starlink with SpaceX.
It could be something similar, TD Cowen analyst Gregory Williams said in a note last week, where he hinted SpaceX could be gathering some steam to acquire T-Mobile.
Williams said it would be the “clear choice” for SpaceX if it decided to go through with a network acquisition. He also suggested AT&T.
The move would be possible through selling more of its own stock, which would help SpaceX raise the money to purchase T-Mobile, which would cost roughly $300 billion. It could be one of the moves SpaceX makes post-IPO in terms of an acquisition: it already acquired Cursor AI for $60 billion.
Other analysts, like Dan Ives of Wedbush, believe SpaceX and Tesla will eventually merge into one anyway, and that conglomeration could come as soon as this year, some have said.
The implications of SpaceX purchasing T-Mobile are massive. A combined entity would create a truly ubiquitous network: T-Mobile’s terrestrial 5G towers and Starlink’s growing constellation of Direct-to-Cell satellites. This would essentially eliminate dead zones across the U.S. and potentially globally.
SpaceX would instantly become a full-scale facilities-based carrier with satellite differentiation; a huge advantage. This would pressure AT&T and Verizon heavily.
There are also concerns like a potential reduction in long-term competition, and of course, a deal of that size would face intense scrutiny from government agencies.
The strategic fit is compelling due to the existing Starlink–T-Mobile partnership and complementary technologies (space + terrestrial). It could create a dominant integrated communications player. However, the regulatory, financial, and execution hurdles are enormous — this remains highly speculative with no indication SpaceX is actively pursuing it right now.
Tesla revealed a major new Cybercab detail in a guide it released for First Responders, showing new territory in its beliefs and intentions for the ride-hailing-focused vehicle that entered production in April.
The First Responders Guide is released to give fire departments, paramedics, and other emergency personnel the proper guidance on what to do in the event of an accident, entrapment, or other situation that would require immediate attention.
On one of the pages of the First Responders Guide, Tesla revealed a stark detail about the Cybercab, which could help personnel enter the vehicle more easily in case of an emergency.
Tesla Cybercab has one important piece that AI4 cars might need for FSD
It shows Tesla has no intention of releasing any Cybercab units that were initially proposed for ride-hailing services for the general public with any manual controls, meaning a steering wheel or pedals:
“A Cybercab equipped with steering wheel, brake pedal, and an acceleration pedal is typically an engineering or test vehicle, and operates at SAE Level 2 autonomy. Cybercab is not typically equipped with a steering wheel or acceleration and brake pedals.”
New official Cybercab documentation from Tesla:
“A Cybercab equipped with steering wheel, brake pedal, and an acceleration pedal is typically an engineering or test vehicle, and operates at SAE Level 2 autonomy. Cybercab is not typically equipped with a steering wheel or… https://t.co/P6ut1mZyzr pic.twitter.com/yq6skl9s2J
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 27, 2026
This is a major development for those who continue to believe Tesla planned to release the Cybercab with any sort of manual controls so that passengers could take over if needed. However, when Tesla started manufacturing production versions of the Cybercab in Giga Texas earlier this year, they were spotted without a steering wheel or pedals.
It essentially confirms the company has no intentions of bringing manual controls to the car’s production versions. Some have argued that the likelihood of Tesla having something
There still are some Cybercab units out there with a steering wheel and pedals, and as Tesla said, these cars are engineering or test vehicles, which have Safety Monitors on board to help the car out of a precarious situation or emergency.
Tesla sends production Cybercab with no steering wheel, pedals to on-road testing
Tesla Phone? Not quite, but close: analyst
