This 24-Yr-Old’s Paper Battery Could One Day Power EVs

The Business Times (Singapore)
The Business Times (Singapore)Mar 28, 2026

Why It Matters

A scalable, paper‑based battery could lower EV costs, reduce hazardous waste, and give manufacturers a sustainable alternative to traditional lithium‑ion cells.

Key Takeaways

  • Paper-based battery is under 1 mm thick and flexible
  • Uses plant waste like barley to create sustainable electrodes
  • Eliminates hazardous acids, offering leak‑free, safer disposal for users
  • Partnered with Fortune 500 firms and European contract manufacturer
  • Scaling toward 500 million‑unit facility targeting future EV applications

Summary

The video spotlights a 24‑year‑old entrepreneur who has engineered a paper‑based battery that is less than one millimeter thick, fully flexible, and constructed entirely from plant‑derived materials. By extracting cellulose from agricultural waste such as barley husks, the battery’s electrodes and casing are both biodegradable, positioning the technology as a truly sustainable alternative to conventional lithium‑ion cells.

Key technical advantages include the absence of highly concentrated acids or alkaline electrolytes, which eliminates leakage risks and simplifies manufacturing and end‑of‑life disposal. The thin, bendable form factor enables novel shape‑customization for diverse applications, while the low‑cost feedstock promises competitive pricing without sacrificing performance. The company has already secured collaborations with multiple Fortune 500 brands and entered a partnership with a leading contract manufacturer to build a 500‑million‑unit per year production line in Europe, marking a decisive step toward mass‑scale deployment.

During the interview, the founder emphasized that the venture is deliberately positioned five to ten years ahead of current market offerings, aiming to meet the massive volume demands of automotive OEMs. “We’re 10 steps ahead,” he asserted, underscoring confidence in the technology’s readiness for the electric‑vehicle market once scaling hurdles are cleared.

If the paper battery can achieve its projected scale, it could disrupt the EV supply chain by delivering a lighter, safer, and environmentally benign power source, potentially reshaping battery procurement strategies for automakers and accelerating the transition to greener transportation.

Original Description

Can batteries be made of paper? Deep-tech startup Flint is using cellulose, a key ingredient in paper production, to produce batteries comparable to conventional batteries. Incorporated in 2021, it counts household names such as Logitech and Amazon among its clients.
Support us:

Comments

Want to join the conversation?

Loading comments...