QuantumScape unveils QS PowerBlock, its first battery product for AI data centers. The solid-state battery maker best known for EV ambitions is pitching a modular in-rack energy storage design built for power-hungry AI racks an hour ago Sponsored: CryptoSlots - Cryptoslots Play now! QuantumScape, the solid-state battery company that spent years courting automakers, has a new customer in mind: the AI data center. On October 8, 2026, the company (NASDAQ: QS) introduced the QS PowerBlock. It is a modular, in-rack energy storage reference design, and the company's first offering built specifically for data centers running AI workloads. What the QS PowerBlock actually claims. The PowerBlock runs on QuantumScape's solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. That chemistry has been the company's calling card since its founding in 2010. QuantumScape says the system delivers 4x the power density and 5x the runtime of baseline metrics set by the Open Compute Project. The OCP is an industry group that publishes shared hardware specifications for data centers, so it serves as a common yardstick. Safety is the other headline claim. The company says the PowerBlock maintains thermal stability above 300 °C, compared to roughly 180 °C for conventional lithium-ion cells. That gap matters because of thermal runaway. This is the chain reaction where a battery overheats, generates more heat, and keeps escalating until something fails, sometimes dramatically. The design targets 800VDC architectures, meaning 800-volt direct current power systems. QuantumScape says that makes it a fit for next-generation 1 MW data center racks. The PowerBlock is also modular. QuantumScape says it can be adapted across module, shelf, and rack formats, and is compatible with high-performance power components used in data centers. AI, tech, and the markets they move - in one daily briefing. Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy. Because it is a reference design, it functions more like a blueprint than a boxed product. Partners and operators can build around it rather than buying one rigid unit off the shelf. Why a battery company built for EVs is looking at server rooms. QuantumScape has drawn attention for years through its electric vehicle work, including partnerships with companies like Volkswagen and Honda. Earlier in 2026, the company discussed extending its technology to data center applications, particularly those built on 800-volt architectures that support higher rack power. The PowerBlock is that conversation turning into hardware. The underlying platform also brings density to the table. QuantumScape's QSE-5 platform has an estimated energy density of about 844 Wh/L, which is the kind of figure that matters when every inch of a rack is spoken for. The company is showcasing the PowerBlock alongside partner Megmeet at the OCP Global Summit, running October 12-15, 2026. What this means for QuantumScape and the data center market. The company estimates the data center opportunity could reach low single-digit billions in revenue by 2030. That is QuantumScape's own projection, and it describes a market opportunity, not booked sales. The key word there is "if." The 4x density, 5x runtime, and 300 °C stability figures are company claims tied to a reference design. There is also a competitive angle. QuantumScape is positioning solid-state lithium-metal cells against entrenched lithium-ion technology, which has years of supply chains, certifications, and operator familiarity behind it. The things to track from here are fairly concrete. Watch for named data center customers, details on how the Megmeet partnership develops, and any timeline for moving from reference design to commercial deployment. Disclosure: This article was edited by Diego Almada Lopez. For more information on how Cryptobriefing create and review content, see its Editorial Policy.

QuantumScape (NYSE: QS) sits at $2.8 billion valuation with zero revenue as 2029 commercialization deadline looms. Credit: QuantumScape Corp QuantumScape (NYSE: QS), a developer of solid-state batteries, has yet to commercialize any product or generate meaningful revenue, sending its stock nearly 97% below its record high of $131.67 per share set on December 22, 2020. The company's shares now trade at around $4.50, yet its market capitalization remains a striking $2.8 billion, a figure that reflects investor hopes rather than current financial performance. That premium valuation hinges almost entirely on whether QuantumScape can successfully bring its QSE-5 solid-state battery to commercial market before competitors render it irrelevant. QuantumScape co-developed the QSE-5 battery alongside Volkswagen over more than a decade, but the company is still shipping samples rather than finished commercial products to automakers. In 2024, the company abandoned its ambition to mass-produce its own batteries and pivoted to a licensing model, agreeing to license its technology to Volkswagen's PowerCo subsidiary and other automakers. The licensing shift represented a significant strategic retreat, and it raised fresh questions about whether QuantumScape can generate sufficient returns to justify its current market valuation. Competition in the solid-state battery space is intensifying, with Toyota planning to launch its first solid-state battery electric vehicles between 2027 and 2028, putting direct pressure on QuantumScape's timeline. The company does not expect to achieve commercialization of its batteries until at least 2029, meaning it must sustain operations for years without meaningful revenue flowing in from product sales. QuantumScape ended the second quarter with over $800 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, which it is working to stretch toward that 2029 commercialization milestone. Share dilution remains a persistent concern, with the company's share count rising 47% over the past five years as it repeatedly raised cash through secondary stock offerings, a trend that shows no sign of stopping. Insider sentiment adds another layer of caution, as company insiders sold more than twice as many shares as they purchased over the past three months, a signal that those closest to the business are not aggressively buying at current prices. QuantumScape is currently focused on expanding its Eagle Line pilot production facility to support higher-volume battery samples and on securing partnerships with additional original equipment manufacturers. For the stock to mount a meaningful recovery, the company will need to demonstrate commercial readiness well ahead of the 2029 target, as falling behind that schedule risks obsolescence in a rapidly advancing industry. The single milestone that could fundamentally change the company's trajectory is achieving verifiable commercial readiness before competitors like Toyota entrench themselves as the dominant suppliers of solid-state battery technology to global automakers.

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) secures $100 million government contract while burning $37 million per quarter - is the stock A bargain at 60% below its peak? D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) has secured a $100 million commitment from the U.S. government, marking a significant vote of confidence in its quantum computing technology. The contract represents a major milestone for D-Wave, which has been working to establish itself as a commercial leader in the quantum computing sector. Despite the government backing, D-Wave continues to burn through approximately $37 million per quarter, raising questions about the sustainability of its cash runway. The company's stock has fallen roughly 60% from its peak, prompting investors to weigh whether the selloff represents a genuine buying opportunity or a warning sign. Quantum computing remains one of the most speculative and capital-intensive sectors in the technology industry, with most major players still years away from consistent profitability. The U.S. government's $100 million investment signals that federal agencies see strategic value in advancing domestic quantum computing capabilities in an increasingly competitive global landscape. For D-Wave, government contracts provide a more reliable revenue stream than purely commercial deals, offering some buffer against the volatility typical of early-stage technology companies. The quarterly cash burn rate of $37 million means investors must assess how long the company can sustain operations before requiring additional capital raises or dilutive financing. D-Wave's position in the market is also being measured against competitors like QuantumScape, another moonshot technology company navigating the difficult path from innovation to commercial viability. Investors considering either stock must weigh the long-term potential of transformative technology against near-term financial pressures that could significantly impact shareholder value. Both companies represent high-risk, high-reward propositions typical of frontier technology investments, where timing and capital discipline can be the difference between a market-defining success and a costly failure.