ION Storage Systems Announced Successful Customer Qualification of Cornerstone™ Cell Performance, Becoming the First U.S. Solid-State Battery Tech Company to Achieve This Milestone

ION's Cornerstone™ Cells will start production at its Maryland facility with expected expansion as production ramps

BELTSVILLE, Md., March 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- ION Storage Systems, Inc. (ION) announced today the successful customer qualification of its Cornerstone™ Cell performance. This marks ION as the first US solid-state battery technology company to achieve customer qualification for its cell performance, a remarkable achievement after the recent announcement of shipping sample cells to leading industrial, consumer electronic, and automotive companies.

"This is a defining milestone for ION and for the solid-state battery industry," said Jorge Diaz Schneider, chief executive officer of ION Storage Systems. "We are the first US company to have passed performance qualification with our customer using our Cornerstone cells and plan production to start here in Maryland. We are excited about the new technologies we are unlocking and look forward to talking to more customers, helping them innovate without the restrictions of lithium-ion batteries."

ION's chief technology officer, Dr. Greg Hitz, added, "Bringing a solid-state, anodeless battery out of the lab and into the real world is a company-defining moment for ION. We are validating the 'ION way' by delivering a 100% solution for our customer and enabling an application with otherwise unmet requirements. Our unique combination of high-temperature stability and performance characteristics stands alone in the battery market. This achievement is a testament to our team's persistence, focus, and commitment to full customer solutions. I am immensely proud of the work that got us here."

Diaz Schneider continued, "Our strategy of commercializing in applications where our technology delivers immediate value, versus pursuing EVs first, is paying off. We are following the successful footsteps of lithium-battery technology: starting in new, innovative, high-value devices and growing to larger applications in the future."

This demand will initially be fulfilled using ION's Beltsville, Maryland facility, which is undergoing expansion. Production is expected to commence in 2026 supported by ION's new sintering furnace installation. Future production demand is expected, necessitating scaled, offsite production with planning already underway.

About ION Storage Systems, Inc.

ION Storage Systems, Inc. is the only solid-state battery technology that enables solid-state performance with no pressure or swell, delivering performance, safety, and durability. Focusing on a wide range of energy storage applications, ION's patented, three-dimensional ceramic design offers a sustainable approach to next-generation energy storage. Built on a scalable, modular ceramic structure, ION's technology is ready to meet the demands of an increasingly electrified world. Learn more at www.ionstoragesystems.com.

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SOURCE ION Storage Systems, Inc.