Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. press release
GMG Doubles Energy Density of 6 Minute Charging Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery
TSXV - TSX Venture Exchange · Australia
Brisbane, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 15, 2026) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) (OTCQX: GMGMF) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the latest progress update on the Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery technology ("G+A CELLS") being developed by GMG and the University of Queensland ("UQ") under a Joint Development Agreement with Rio Tinto, one of the world's largest metals and mining groups, and with the support of the Battery Innovation Center of Indiana ("BIC") in the United States of America.
The GMG G+A CELLS have nowdemonstrated superior performance characteristics when compared to a representative market leading ultra-fast charging batteries, the Lithium Titanate Oxide("LTO") batteries, which can be sold at a premium price of up to US$1200/kWh.1
Figure 1 shows the current energy density of G+A CELLS, based on BIC testing, and shows the doubling in performance (26 to 49 Wh/kg) since the previous announcement in December 20252and in comparison, to a representative market leading fast charging high power LTO batteries.
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure1.jpg)
Figure 1: Increase in Energy Density for G+A CELLS since December '25 Update
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure1.jpg
Figure 2 shows the charge and discharge curves for the G+A CELLS when charged in 6 minutes (10C) and 60 minutes (1C). The energy density of the cells for the G+A CELLSwhen charged in 60 minutes (1C) is now 101 Wh/kg when charging to 100% State of Charge (SOC) which is an increase from 58 Wh/kg from the previous update. This shows the G+A CELLShave a nominal voltage of approximately 3.2 Volts (an increase from 3.0 Volts in the previous update). The G+A CELLSmaintained performance over hundreds of cycles at 6-minute fast charging rate (10C).
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_001full.jpg)
_Figure 2: Battery performance curves of G+A_CELLS_at 60 min and 6min charge (1C & 10C)_
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_001full.jpg
Bob Galyen, GMG Non-Executive Director and former CTO of CATL - the largest battery manufacturer in the world, commented: "With the possibility of charging from empty to full in around six minutes, this chemistry fundamentally changes how designers can think about electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and stationary storage. Instead of planning around long charge stops with large packs, engineers can optimise for rapid energy turnaround, with higher power, and safer, with GMG's battery made from abundant raw materials. Lithium-ion will remain a key part of the energy landscape for years to come, but its limitations in fast charging, temperature tolerance, and critical-mineral supply are increasingly evident. By leveraging aluminium and graphene, the GMG team is demonstrating a pathway to reduce reliance on traditional lithium-based systemsand or combinatorial systems with multiple battery technologies while delivering step-change improvements in charge time and power density. This is not an incremental tweak to existing cells - it is a new platform that can open markets and use casesthat were previously uneconomic or impractical. The companies that adapt quickest to this shift will lead the next wave of electrification, and GMG intends to be at the centre of that transition with graphene aluminium-ion technology."
Standard commercial Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt ("LNMC") and Lithium Iron Phosphate ("LFP") battery cells for electric vehicles and stationary storage are NOTdesigned for continuous 6-minute charging (10C); typical recommended charge rates are ≤1 hour (1C), often 2 hours (0.5C), with only limited fast charge operation. Only specialized high-power cell designs like LTO battery cells can tolerate charge rates of 6 minutes (10C).3
GMG has now developed a completely new hybrid electrolyte that is chloride free and non-corrosive, unlike common aluminium battery electrolytes, along with a complex cathode and anode technology that enables very stable fast charging over hundreds of cycles. The substrate for both the cathode and anode in the G+A CELLSis aluminium foil - which provides significant cost and weight savings compared with copper, the substrate material used in most lithium and sodium-ion batteries. GMG's technology does not include the use of lithium or copper. The Company has submitted an additional patent application covering these new developments.
GMG believes that it has significantly met the key target specification requirementsfor use in heavy mobile equipment, as shown in Figure 3, its main targeted use case, including:
Charging in under 6 minutes; Energy density > 100 Wh/kg after 1 hour of charging; and Safe (no Lithium).
The next battery development steps include the following activities:
Test and show cycle life up to 10,000 cycles Test and show ambient temperature impacts Test and show standard safety testing Test and show no thermal battery management system needed
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure3.jpg)
_Figure 3: G+A_CELLS_Battery Use Case - heavy mobile equipment_
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure3.jpg
Craig Nicol, GMG Managing Director and CEO, commented: "This is a significant step up from where we were at with battery performance in December 2025 and we see the required performance for our targeted use case being largely met - which means we can start to put together the next stages of the battery maturation program - including partnerships and manufacturing plans."
GMG management believes that the G+A CELLScan eventually achieve over 160 Wh/kg when charged in 1 hour, and over 80 Wh/kg when charged in 6 minutes with further development of the cathode, anode, electrolyte and component weights.
Figure 4 shows the latest G+A CELLSin pouch format:
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure4.jpg)
Figure 4: Current Multi-Layer G+A CELL
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure4.jpg
Battery Technology Readiness Level The battery technology readiness level ("BTRL") of the G+A CELLSremains at Level 4, whilst significantly progressed through this level as shown in Figure 5. GMG is currently in the process of completing the optimization of the electrochemical behaviour for the pouch cells via ongoing laboratory experimentation. Through collaboration with BIC, it is anticipated that the battery technology readiness will ultimately progress to BTRL 7 and 8 since the equipment and processes needed to produce the G+A CELLS are the same as those employed to make Lithium-Ion Batteries, though no definitive timeline for achievement can be provided at this time.
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_004full.jpg)
Figure 5: Battery Technology Readiness Level (BTRL)
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_004full.jpg
The Company is confident it can meet the overall timeline, as seen in Figure 6, of its battery cell roadmap that calls for testing of cells with customers in 2026 and small commercial production with support of various partners, including BIC, in 2027.
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_005full.jpg)
Figure 6: Battery Cell Roadmap
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_005full.jpg
Next Steps Toward Commercialisation & Market Applications
Jack Perkowski, GMG Non-Executive Chairman and Director, commented: "I am extremely proud that GMG has progressed its battery to this stage - the Company is getting very close to final commercialisation steps. We look forward to providing further updates as GMG progresses the development of its battery technology."
The Company continues to see a broad range of potential applications for a completed G+A CELLS- utilising its ultra-high power-density and economic energy density characteristics. Along with Rio Tinto, a range of global companies have confidentially expressed their interest in working with GMG in the following vertical sectors:
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_006full.jpg)
Figure 7: Market Applications
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_006full.jpg
Currently, GMG believes it will use a plastic battery pack design, similar to Figure 8, to hold the battery pouch cells - reducing the weight, cost and complexity relative to using a metal case. Using a plastic battery pack is possible for two main reasons - GMG believes that its battery will not require a thermal management system or the fireproofing precautions provided by the metal case in a lithium-ion battery. Using plastic will increase the comparative energy density of G+A CELLpacks when compared to lithium-ion batteries.
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_007full.jpg)
_Figure 8: Expected Battery Pack for GMG's _G+A CELLS_Pouch Format_
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_9a72ca9bb4963a29_007full.jpg
Comparison and Market Review: LTO Batteries
As shown in Figure 9 below, the performance of GMG's G+A CELLtechnology is already very similar to representative LTO batteries.
[](https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure9.jpg)
_Figure 9: Comparison of GMG's G+A_CELLS_to Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) Battery_
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8082/292641_figure9.jpg
LTO batteries are sold at a premium to LFP and LNMC batteries, which are the main chemistries used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, and are also widely used in other electronic applications due to their high performance and long cycle life. The material and manufacturing costs for G+A CELLSare expected to be similar to, or less than, the cost to manufacture standard lithium-ion batteries, but substantially lower than the costs to produce LTO batteries.
LTO batteries have energy density ranging from 50 - 80 Wh/kg.6The LTO product is sold globally for use in many applications — with a total of US$5.67billion sales per annum in 2025. Sales of LTO batteries are expected to grow at 16.9% per annum to an estimated US$ 12.5 billion by 2030. The major manufacturers of LTO batteries include Toshiba, Gree, Microvast and CATL.
Further details on applications for the LTO battery from Mordor Intelligence7are described below. In many of the use cases for LTO batteries, GMG believes that its G+A CELLScan be substituted at a substantially lower cost.
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Commercial Vehicles: Automotive, primarily buses, refuse trucks, and drayage tractors rather than passenger cars, is the largest user of LTO batteries. Fleets realize five-year total-cost-of-ownership parity once fuel savings and lower maintenance offset higher upfront prices.
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Fast-charging Electric Buses and Trucks: Transit authorities need battery systems that accept repeated high-power "opportunity charges" during short layovers. LTO cells replenish 80% capacity in roughly five minutes, allowing operators to shrink fleet size without sacrificing route frequency. U.S. Low-No Emission Bus grants earmark more than US$1.5 billion per year, with bid specifications that explicitly reference rapid-charge capability. Parallel subsidy programs in China reimburse up to CNY 80,000 (US$ 11,396) per new-energy bus, accelerating volume deployment in provincial capitals.
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Hybrid and BEV:Regenerative braking and high-C-rate acceleration favour the use of LTO batteries. Use in fast-charge EV stations is growing rapidly as ride-hailing fleets adopt swap-ready models.
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Stationary Storage: Utility-scale batteries now cycle multiple times per day for frequency regulation, peak shaving, and voltage support. Energy-storage-system integrators adopt LTO batteries for grid-frequency response where state-of-charge swings are shallow but frequent.
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Industrial Robotics:LTO batteries are used in continuous-duty forklifts that require partial charges during operator breaks.
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Aerospace and Defense:Unmanned aerial vehicles, missile auxiliaries, and soldier-worn power banks operating from -40 °C to +60 °C ambient.
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5-minute Battery-Swap Stations: Battery-as-a-service platforms require ultra-fast turnaround and high cycle life. CATL confirmed plans to install 1,000 swap stations in 2025 and 30,000-40,000 by 2030, each requiring packs that tolerate thousands of rapid exchanges without degradation.
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Sub-10 kWh Packs:Cordless construction tools, autonomous ground vehicles, and medical carts select LTO batteries to bypass daily pack swaps.
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12V starter replacement to Lead acid:_GMG's _G+ACELLSbattery technology would be a viable 12 V starter-battery replacement for lead-acid, offering lower weight, longer cycle life, good low-temperature performance and improved cold-cranking capability, together with excellent tolerance to storage at 0% state of charge. In suitable system designs, the chemistry's stable voltage behaviour can also reduce balancing requirements and simplify battery management, helping to lower overall system cost.
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Lifecycle Procurement Preference: Many government procurement frameworks now weigh lifecycle reliability higher than purchase price. For example, New Mexico awarded a US$ 400 million bus electrification contract that included stringent thermal-runaway resistance metrics. Europe's Clean Industrial Deal allocates capital for storage technologies that stabilize renewables, aligning well with LTO batteries' fast-response profile.
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Cylindrical Cells:accounted for 37.7% of LTO battery sales in 2024 as entrenched production lines and robust steel casings satisfied heavy-duty demand. Pouch designs address aerospace weight requirements and constrained dashboards in autonomous robots.
Summary of Important Milestones for GMG's G+A CELLSDevelopment:
| Month | Important Milestones in the Development of the Graphene Aluminium Ion Battery | | May 2020 | GMG and UQ win Australian Research Council grant for Graphene battery development https://graphenemg.com/gmg-and-uq-wins-australian-research-council-grant-for-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-development/ | | Apr 2021 | The University of Queensland and GMG kick off coin cell battery development project https://graphenemg.com/gmg-the-university-of-queensland-research-uni-quest-kick-off-the-graphene-enhanced-aluminium-ion-battery-development-project/ | | May 2021 | Graphene aluminium-ion battery performance data - Energy Density and Power Density https://graphenemg.com/gmg-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-performance-data/ | | Jun 2021 | Graphene aluminium-ion battery performance data - Cycle Life https://graphenemg.com/graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-performance-data/ | | Jun 2021 | Significant potential battery customer market response to launch of battery https://graphenemg.com/gmg-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-progress-update/ | | Jul 2021 | Investment decision for coin cell battery development centre https://graphenemg.com/gmg-battery-pilot-plant-investment/ | | Oct 2021 | Construction starts for coin cell battery development centre https://graphenemg.com/construction-battery-pilotplant/ | | Oct 2021 | Bosch Australia Manufacturing Solutions and GMG sign Letter of Intent https://graphenemg.com/gmg-and-bosch-sign-collaboration-arrangement-for-bosch-to-design-and-deliver-gmgs-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-manufacturing-plant/ | | Dec 2021 | Commencement coin cell battery development centre https://graphenemg.com/battery-pilot-plant/ | | Dec 2021 | Initial coin cell batteries sent for customer feedback https://graphenemg.com/graphene-aluminium-battery-customers-prototypes/ | | Mar 2022 | Initial factory acceptance testing of semi-automated prototype battery cell assembly equipment https://graphenemg.com/gmg-announces-initial-factory-acceptance-testing-of-semi-automated-prototype-battery-cell-assembly-equipment/ | | Mar 2022 | Wood Engineering and GMG Sign a Letter of Intent https://graphenemg.com/gmg-and-wood-agree-collaboration-arrangement-for-wood-to-engineer-and-deliver-major-graphene-manufacturing-expansion-projects/ | | May 2022 | Rio Tinto and GMG sign Letter of Intent https://graphenemg.com/gmg-riotinto-energysavings-battery/ | | Jun 2022 | Commissioning of Pouch Cell Equipment https://graphenemg.com/gmg-manufactures-first-pouch-cell/ | | Jun 2022 | Bob Galyen, former chief technology officer of CATL, joins GMG technical advisory committee. https://graphenemg.com/gmg-technical-advisory-committee-leadership-team-additions-and-cfo-change/ | | Aug 2022 | Investment decision for Phase 1 modular Graphene Production Plant https://graphenemg.com/gmg-announces-phase-1-expansion-project-to-graphene-manufacturing-facility-for-energy-saving-products-and-batteries/ | | Oct 2022 | Significant battery performance, cell and graphene production improvements https://graphenemg.com/gmgs-battery-update-significant-battery-performance-cell-and-graphene-production-improvements/ | | Dec 2022 | Investment of $600k Battery Development Centre https://graphenemg.com/gmg-invests-au-600000-to-accelerate-battery-pouch-cell-customer-testing-development-in-2023/ | | Feb 2023 | Australian Government Approval (AICIS) for production and sale of batteries. https://graphenemg.com/gmg-receives-regulatory-approval-to-enable-significant-commercial-sales/ | | May 2023 | Battery Joint Development Agreement with Rio Tinto signed https://graphenemg.com/gmg-announces-battery-joint-development-agreement-with-rio-tinto/ | | May 2023 | Battery Technology Readiness Level (BRTL) 2-3 reached https://graphenemg.com/gmg-announces-battery-team-and-related-updates/ | | May 2023 | Decision to switch to develop Pouch Cells (instead of Coin Cells) https://graphenemg.com/gmg-announces-battery-team-and-related-updates/ | | Jul 2023 | Bob Galyen former chief technology officer of CATL joins GMG board of Directors https://graphenemg.com/graphene-manufacturing-group-appoints-former-chief-technology-officer-of-catl-limited-to-its-board-of-directors/ | | Sep 2023 | Battery Pouch Cell Prototypes Multilayered Auto-Stacker Demonstration https://graphenemg.com/gmg-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-pouch-cell-prototypes-multilayered-auto-stacker-demonstration/ | | Sep 2023 | Reaching 500 mAh capacity battery https://graphenemg.com/gmg-achieves-500mah-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-prototype-in-pouch-cell-format/ | | Sep 2023 | Battery Technology Readiness Level (BRTL) 4 reached https://graphenemg.com/gmg-achieves-500mah-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-prototype-in-pouch-cell-format/ | | Nov 2023 | Rio Tinto and GMG Partnership Video Launched https://graphenemg.com/rio-tinto-gmg-battery-partnership-video-launch/ | | Dec 2023 | Commissioning of modular Graphene Production Plant https://graphenemg.com/graphene-manufacturing-group-commissions-modular-graphene-production-plant/ | | Feb 2024 | 1000 mAh Capacity Reached https://graphenemg.com/gmgs-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-1000-mah-capacity-reached-and-next-steps-toward-commercialisation/ | | Mar 2024 | Graphene Manufacturing Group Secures AU$2 million Funding Grant from Queensland Government for Battery Pilot Plant https://graphenemg.com/graphene-manufacturing-group-secures-au2-million-funding-grant-from-queensland-government-for-battery-pilot-plant/ | | Aug 2024 | GMG's Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery: Progress Update and Next Steps Toward Commercialisation https://graphenemg.com/gmgs-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-progress-update-and-next-steps-toward-commercialisation/ | | Mar 2025 | GMG's Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery: Collaboration with World Leading USA Battery Innovation Centre and Next Steps Toward Commercialisation https://graphenemg.com/gmgs-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-collaboration-with-world-leading-usa-battery-innovation-centre-and-next-steps-toward-commercialisation/ | | Dec 2025 | GMG Unveils Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery that Fully Charges in 6 minutes https://graphenemg.com/gmg-unveils-graphene-aluminium-ion-battery-that-fully-charges-in-6-minutes/ |