Amprius Technologies has secured a $75 million US Department of War grant to convert an EV battery production line into advanced batteries for Group 1, 2, and 3 military drones. The award marks another example of civilian manufacturing capacity being converted toward defense production as the US expands its drone industrial base.
EV blog Electrek reports:
Amprius Technologies received a $15 million order for its innovative lithium-ion cells from an anonymous customer back in 2024, all the company would say was that the buyer was a, “leading Unmanned Aircraft System manufacturer.”
We still don’t know who that mysterious customer might have been, but we know this: there’s enough demand for Amprius’ energy-dense batteries that DoW is willing to spend $75 million to draft a civilian factory originally designed to build zero-emission electric cars into drone duty.
The conversion reflects a shift in capital toward defense demand. As EV demand softens, underused battery production lines offer a way to expand military drone output without building new factories from the ground up. For the DoW, repurposing existing facilities could shorten the path to ramp up drone production. This approach echoes World War II industrial mobilization: redirecting civilian manufacturing capacity to meet military needs.
Related:
- GM Delivers Patriot Missile Parts To Lockheed As Rearmament Supercycle Nears
- Volkswagen May Convert German Auto Plant Into Iron Dome War Factory
Here’s more from the EV blog:
The grant itself will see the conversion of an existing US-based electric vehicle battery production line operated by, “a major South Korean manufacturer” through a grant awarded through DoW’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program (IBAS).
IBAS provides funds to shore up domestic manufacturing capabilities it deems critical to national security and defense, with the official copy explaining that, “the primary objective of this award is to establish high-volume, commercially viable US manufacturing for advanced battery systems that power unmanned aerial systems – Group 1, 2, and 3 drones.“
The announcement comes shortly after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed earlier this month the creation of Autonomous Warfare Command, dubbed “AutoWarCom,” to accelerate the DoW’s purchases across all categories of drones, robotics, and AI to prepare the military for warfare.
To do this, the US supply chain must scale up to produce millions of one-way attack drones, with components made domestically or in conflict-free areas. In other words, the US must source drone engines, blades, batteries, sensors, and other components outside China.
As Amprius CEO Tom Stepien explained, “This DoW grant is intended to establish a primary source of domestic, NDAA-compliant battery production.” He added, “Our technology, combined with the US manufacturing prowess of our South Korean manufacturing partner, positions us to accelerate adoption of standardized, high-performance pouch cells in a fast-growing market.”
Tyler Durden
Wed, 10/14/2026 – 04:15
